President James Michel has called for the introduction of a Vulnerability index which would ensure that small islands states get a ‘fair deal’ within the global development architecture and affordable financing for development projects.

He was speaking at an event organized by the Commonwealth and  UNDESA in the margins of the UN Conference on SIDS, in Samoa. President James Michel joined the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma, the UN under secretary general for economic and social affairs Wu Hongbo, the Mauritian Foreign Minister Arvin Boolell, and the St Lucia Minister for Sustainable Development, Dr James Fletcher, in a high level panel discussion.

The President said that a Vulnerability Resilience Profile is a key tool in better understanding the challenges faced by SIDS. The VPR is being developed by the EU and the Commonwealth together with the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

“The underlying methodology of the VRP is unique and at the same time extremely relevant as it spans the whole spectrum of sustainable development; by analysing vulnerability and resilience parallel with the three pillars of sustainable development i.e. economic, social and environmental, it provides for a very robust method….I want to make clear- countries such as Seychelles do not just necessarily want aid- we do not want just handouts. But we need access to development mechanisms that recognise our fundamental vulnerability,” said President Michel.

Mr Michel said that for large infrastructure projects SIDS cannot afford commercial loans as they are not feasible for small island populations, and therefore a Vulnerability consideration would enable SIDS to be considered as an exception within financing mechanisms.

“We are vulnerable.  We face unique challenges.  But we are far from weak.  We are prepared to be innovative in addressing our development challenges.  We are prepared to try things that many others may not find politically expedient.  We are able to act fast and bring real improvements to the lives of our populations, if we are given the right tools to do so.”

Editor’s Note

-        Mr. Wu Hongbo guides the UN Secretariat support for the follow-up processes of the Rio+20 Conference, including the UN General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing, and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.  He attended the regional preparatory meeting for Samoa held in Seychelles in July 2013.

-        Mr. Wu is currently serving as the Secretary-General of the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States.