OECS Media Release
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission joined global partners at the Island Nations Global Synergy Meeting 2026, hosted by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) in Tokyo, Japan, on March 12–13, in an effort to advance dialogue and action on sustainable development and resilience across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Held under the theme “Bridging SIDS and people for practical actions in the present and future,” the meeting built on outcomes from regional dialogues hosted over the past year in Saint Lucia, Palau, and Mauritius. It brought together practitioners from the Caribbean, Pacific, and Western Indian Ocean regions to deepen collaboration, strengthen human networks, and accelerate the transition from policy commitments to real-world impact.
Participants highlighted the shared vulnerability of SIDS to climate change, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, coral reef degradation, and increasingly intense weather events. These environmental pressures continue to threaten livelihoods, food security, and the cultural identity of island communities, while also posing broader developmental and existential challenges.
The meeting further underscored systemic barriers faced by SIDS, including difficulty accessing climate finance, limited institutional and technical capacity, slow disbursement of international funding, and gaps in specialised expertise. Despite these constraints, participants emphasised the blue economy’s critical role in driving resilience, economic opportunity, and sustainable development.