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UK Small Island Developing States Strategy

Status: Closed Opened: 18 Apr 2023 Closed: 23 May 2024 14 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

Report and Government response published The House of Commons International Development Committee calls for the FCDO urgently to make a long-term commitment to SIDS. It says the UK Government must not allow funding or political support for SIDS to be de-prioritised, even in an era of multiple and growing global crises. The Committee calls out …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Developing States Strat… HC 476 1 May 2024 26 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
2 Recommendation Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Dev… Deferred

Provide a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy by September 2024.

The Government must honour the commitment it made to provide the Committee with a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy across the six areas of focus by 30 September 2024. Points that the report should cover are listed in Annex

Government response. The government states it paused drafting the requested progress report due to the general election, but will submit a report as part of a wider UK SIDS Strategy refresh exercise, reflecting the new government's priorities.
23 Conclusion Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Dev… Deferred

Government has deprioritised Global Ocean Treaty ratification despite SIDS strategy focus.

Given that the UK SIDS Strategy sets out “Ocean and Biodiversity” as an area of focus, it is concerning that the Government has ostensibly deprioritised the ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty by failing to designate the Parliamentary time necessary to pass the prerequisite legislation in this Parliament.

Government response. The government did not address the recommendation regarding the Global Ocean Treaty, instead committing to ensuring 80% of bilateral aid programmes with SIDS focus on gender by 2030, supporting SIDS in collecting gender-disaggregated data, and making gender equality an explicit …
24 Recommendation Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Dev… Deferred

Prioritise laying primary legislation for ratifying Global Ocean Treaty before next election.

The Government should prioritise the laying before Parliament of the primary legislation necessary for ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty before the next election. (Paragraph 75) Wider Climate Leadership

Government response. The government states the recommendation for ratification before the next election is 'no longer relevant/overtaken,' but reaffirms its commitment to ratifying the BBNJ Agreement and notes that work is ongoing on the necessary implementation measures.

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
24 Oct 2023 Cletus Springer · Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), UnaMay Gordon · Climate Change, Government of Jamaica View ↗
5 Sep 2023 Alisi Rabukawaqa · International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Christopher Pearce · National Oceanography Centre, Jeremy Raguain · Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) and AOSIS Fellow, Kristal Ambrose · Bahamas Plastic Movement (BPM), Martin Chong · Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme, Pacific Community-SPC, Vinzealhar Nen · 350.org View ↗
18 Jul 2023 Emily Wilkinson · ODI, Jean-Paul Adam · Office of the Special Adviser on Africa to the UN Secretary General View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
23 Apr 2024 — Correspondence from the Minister for Development & Africa relating to the Commi…
23 Apr 2024 — Correspondence to the Minister for Development & Africa relating to the Committ…