In a high-profile gathering during the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), the African Island States Climate Commission (AISCC), in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), convened a High-Level Dialogue aimed at strengthening ocean partnerships and mobilizing innovative finance to support sustainable development across African Small Island Developing States. With participation from ministers, ambassadors, and senior officials representing island nations, United Nations agencies, and global development partners, the Dialogue marked a significant step toward aligning regional leadership, blue economy priorities, and climate finance strategies in pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14).
Held as an official side event in the UNOC3 Blue Zone, the Dialogue was guided by the theme “Strengthening Ocean Partnerships for Resilience and Sustainable Finance: Charting a Blue Future for African Island States and AIS SIDS.”
Discussions emphasized the unique vulnerabilities of African Island States, the need for coordinated climate and ocean governance, and the urgency of unlocking scalable, long-term financing solutions tailored to the needs of island nations.
Opening the event, Flavien Joubert, Chair of the AISCC and Minister of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment for the Republic of Seychelles, described the conference as a unique opportunity for African Island States and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) to demonstrate global leadership on ocean sustainability. He called for stronger cooperation across SIDS regions and emphasized the central role of the AISCC as an innovative platform for climate action and diplomacy. Minister Joubert highlighted existing partnerships with ECA, IOC, and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as examples of how African island nations are working together to mobilize resources and build collective resilience. He reaffirmed Seychelles’ commitment to lead the AISCC in a spirit of solidarity and inclusion, “ensuring no island state is left behind.”
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua, who served as Secretary-General of both the UNOC3 and the Fourth International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4), reiterated the UN’s full support for African SIDS. He noted that the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) is nearing completion, and that work is underway to establish governance mechanisms for implementing the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI). Li also pointed to reforms in the SIDS Partnership Framework as part of ongoing efforts to ensure more effective and accountable cooperation with the international community.
Nassim Oulmane, Head of the Natural Resources, Green and Blue Economy Section at ECA, stated in his welcoming remarks that this Dialogue builds on momentum from key AISCC high-level events convened at the UNFCCC COP28, COP29, African Climate Summit, and 4th International SIDS Conference. He held that the region must continue strengthening regional and international cooperation, and unlock innovative, scalable solutions through tools like blue bonds and debt-for-ocean swaps, and other innovative mechanisms. “ECA, in partnership with AISCC, is proud to support initiatives like the RESIslands project, funded by the GCF,” he said. “Together, we are advancing integrated approaches to promote ocean health, sustainable development, and climate resilience—leaving no one behind.”
In the ministerial panel, national leaders from across the region provided a grounded view of both challenges and opportunities. Nilda Borges da Mata, Minister of Environment, Youth and Sustainable Tourism of São Tomé and Príncipe, said that unity among African SIDS is key to advancing sustainable development.
“When we speak with one voice, we gain strength. When we share knowledge, we gain resilience. And when we cooperate, we attract the resources we need,” she said. Borges da Mata reaffirmed her country’s support for the AISCC as a critical platform to promote regional cooperation on climate and ocean priorities.
Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Environment, Biodiversity and Climate Action, Viriato Soares Cassamá, announced that his country will host the next Ministerial Meeting of the AISCC later this year. He revealed the upcoming meeting as a decisive moment for the AISCC to launch a Joint Declaration on Oceans and Climate, a Sustainable Finance Action Plan, and new governance mechanisms that include women, youth, and local voices.
Maria Ebiaca Moete, State Secretary of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Equatorial Guinea, emphasized the importance of investment in locally led, community-based solutions. “We see the RESIslands Initiative as a key platform to channel investment into sustainable, locally led projects,” she said. Moete also called for the creation of a dedicated international funding mechanism for island states and urged development partners to design financing instruments that are simpler, more flexible, and more accessible for vulnerable island economies.
Fabrice David, Junior Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy, and Fisheries of Mauritius, called for a shift in perception of SIDS from fragile to formidable. “This is a critical moment for SIDS to show leadership as Big Ocean States,” he said. “SDG14 remains the most underfunded of all global goals. That must change.” Minister David introduced the Blue Finance Hub initiative, developed with support from the Africa Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA) and FSD Africa, which he described as a promising model for catalyzing nature-positive investments in the blue economy, with potential for replication across other African island nations.
The panel featured senior-level participation from Cabo Verde and Madagascar, too. In addition to the governmental interventions, the event included the United Nations Secretary-General Special Envoy for the Ocean, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UN Resident Coordinator in Cabo Verde, as well as senior speakers from the Indian Ocean Commission, the Green Climate Fund, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the SIDS Hub at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the United Kingdom, and the ANCA Secretariat of FSD Africa.
Throughout the High-Level Dialogue, speakers stressed the urgency of rethinking the global financial system to respond more effectively to the realities of island nations, and the need for AIS SIDS to have a stronger voice in shaping international ocean and climate frameworks. The meeting reaffirmed the role of the AISCC as a unifying body for African Island States, driving forward shared strategies on SDG 14 and building a sustainable, climate-resilient blue future through partnership, innovation, and action.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
