UN chief urges sustainable development

Calling small island developing nations a magnifying glass for vulnerabilities around the world, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the international community to form durable partnerships and recommit to supporting sustainable development in these countries.

"By addressing the issues facing SIDS we are developing the tools we need to promote sustainable development across the entire world," Mr. Ban said at the opening session of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in the Samoan capital, Apia.

The conference is being held in the Pacific to demonstrate first-hand the challenges and opportunities facing countries in the "small island developing states" group. These include high costs for energy and transportation, susceptibility to natural disasters, and vulnerability to external shocks. The island nations are also prime destinations for tourism, naturally endowed with 'green energy' resources like sun and wind, and driving so-called 'blue growth' economy linked to marine and maritime sectors.

"We must assess progress and identify new challenges as well as opportunities," he told more than 3,000 representatives of government and civil society, and business leaders.

The overall goal, particularly since the four-day conference's final document has already been hammered out, is to form genuine and durable partnerships among the various participants, with the aim of strengthening island initiatives that can help address global issues.

"Lasting progress can ultimately only be achieved within a propitious international environment that supports national efforts," John Ashe, President of the current General Assembly session said in his opening remarks.

At the time of the opening, at least 287 partnerships were already registered on the official website.