American International Journal of Business Management (AIJBM)

ISSN- 2379-106X, www.aijbm.com Volume 2, Issue 5 (May- 2019), PP 46-61

Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable

Development Goals
Prepared by Dr. U.Sarangi*
The author is an officer in Government of India, New Delhi
*Corresponding Author: U.Sarangi

ABSTRACT:- The research paper under study entitled “Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and
Sustainable Goals” is an attempt to analyze the various global partnerships amongst various economies that
help in promoting and in achieving global sustainable development goals across various sectors in the various
economies by the turn of 2030 slated by the United Nations. The focus of the research paper has been mainly to
study the effective global partnerships, SAMOA Pathway which in turn would promote the growth and
development of particularly the Small Island Developing Economies(SIDS), Land Locked Developing
Economies(LLDCs) and the Least Developed Economies(LDCs). The research paper explains in detail the
issues relating to SDGs and the SAMOA Pathway, effective Global Multistakeholder Partnerships, categories,
types and number of partnerships and their effective implementation, global/multilateral
organizations/agencies/civil societies/NGOs/research institutions/academia that have entered into various types
of partnerships with various other organizations at local, regional, national, sub-national and global levels. It is
observed and analyzed that the issue on developing effective global partnerships in order to achieve the SDGs
by 2030 slated by United Nations is a long drawn exercise and involves not only various groups of
organizations, at various levels in various forums, but also is a highly complex game theory mechanism which
involves interaction and intersections of organizations in various capacities and at various levels/fora to attain
the objective of SAMOA Pathway and effective global partnerships.

Key Words: Global Partnerships, SAMOA Pathway, SDGs, SIDS, NSDS, SMART

I. INTRODUCTION
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015,
provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its
core of the functions are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by
all countries i.e. developed and developing in a global partnership framework. They recognize that ending
poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce
inequality, and spur economic growth all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and
forests.
The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs. The following sequence of events relate to SDGs for effective Global Partnerships viz;
(i) In June 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 178 countries adopted Agenda 21, a
comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human
lives and protect the environment.
(ii) Member States unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration at the Millennium Summit in September
2000 at UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit led to the elaboration of eight Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.
(iii) The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the Plan of Implementation, adopted at
the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa in 2002, reaffirmed the global community's
commitments to poverty eradication and the environment, and built on Agenda 21 and the Millennium
Declaration by including more emphasis on multilateral partnerships.
(iv) At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June
2012, Member States adopted the outcome document "The Future We Want" in which they decided, inter
alia, to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs to build upon the MDGs and to establish the UN High-
level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The Rio +20 outcome also contained other measures for
implementing sustainable development, including mandates for future programmes of work in development
financing, small island developing states and many more activities.
(v) In 2013, the General Assembly set up a 30-member Open Working Group to develop a proposal on the
SDGs.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

(vi) In January 2015, the General Assembly began the negotiation process on the post-2015 development
agenda. The process culminated in the subsequent adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, with 17 SDGs at its core, at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015.
(vii) 2015 was a landmark year for multilateralism and international policy shaping, with the adoption of several
major agreements:
a) Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (March 2015)
b) Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development (July 2015)
c) Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 SDGs was adopted at
the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York in September 2015.
d) Paris Agreement on Climate Change (December 2015)
(viii) The annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development serves as the central UN platform
for the follow-up and review of the SDGs.

The Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of
Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and
their related thematic issues, including the key sectors such as
water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology. DSDG plays a key role in the
evaluation of UN system wide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and on advocacy and outreach activities
relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate
into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this
engagement.

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

(i) Countries agree to accelerate action to fully implement historic plan on population and
development, emphasising importance to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal
UN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the goals and objectives of the
Programme of Action, adopted at the landmark International Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994. In a declaration, countries agreed that the full implementation of the Programme
of Action is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals contained in the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development. In the 52nd Session of UNCPD meeting, countries examined gains that have been
made in implementing the Programme of Action as well as the gaps and shortfalls in achieving its goals and
objectives. They also established how its implementation contributes to achieving relevant Sustainable
Development Goals.

“When we look at targets on poverty in the least developed countries, or on child marriage or people living in
urban slums, while the percentage of affected persons may be declining, their number is still rising”, cautions
Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General.(Opinion of Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations)

(ii) Important gains and significant shortfalls in the implementation of the Programme of Action
According to the reports of the UN Secretary-General, the world has witnessed significant progress in
implementing the ICPD Programme of Action, adopted 25 years ago. Examples include greater access to
reproductive health care, reduced child and maternal mortality, increased life expectancy, and advances in
gender equality and women‟s empowerment.
“While it is right to celebrate our achievements, we must also prepare for a world with a population that is
larger, older, more mobile and more urbanized than ever before” notes Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-
General for Economic and Social Affairs, UN. (Opinion of Under Secretary General, United Nations)
“At its core, ICPD is about recognizing that people‟s rights, their choices, and their well-being are essential
components required to achieve sustainable development,” says Dr. Natalia Kanem, United Nations Under-
Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. “Twenty-five years
of evidence and practice continue to support this consensus.” (Opinion of United Nations Under-Secretary-
General and Executive Director, UNFPA)

Accesses to reproductive health-care services are key for sustainable development. Use of modern
methods of family planning has risen markedly. Globally, among married or in-union women of reproductive
age who express a need for family planning, the proportion for whom such need is satisfied with modern
methods of contraception increased from 72 per cent in 1994 to 78 per cent in 2019. Nonetheless, in 44
countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania, less than half of women‟s demand for family planning is
being met by use of modern methods.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

Globally, the birth rate for those aged 15 to 19 declined from 65 births per 1,000 women around 1994
to 44 per 1,000 currently. The highest levels of adolescent childbearing are found in sub-Saharan Africa (101
births per 1,000 adolescent women) and in Latin America and the Caribbean (61).

According to UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Ashley Judd, “sexual and reproductive health of girls and women
are at the heart of poverty eradication and sustainable development”. (Opinion of UNFPA Goodwill
Ambassador)

Importantly, the UN reports highlight the importance of ensuring universal access to reproductive
health-care services for reducing levels of maternal and child mortality. In the 25 years since countries met in
Cairo, life expectancy has increased substantially. Since 1994, global life expectancy at birth rose from 65 years
to 72 years. However, the gap in life expectancy at birth between countries in the more developed regions versus
least developed countries, while it narrowed by 7 years since 1994, remains 15 years today. By 2050, the
proportion of persons aged 65 years or over is projected to reach 28 per cent in Europe and 23 per cent in
Northern America. Many older adults, especially in developing countries, are unable to meet their basic
expenses. As the number of older persons continues to grow in all regions of the world, so does the need to
address the increased incidence of age-related frailty and the provision of high-quality health care, while
enabling individuals to live longer, healthier and more productive lives.
Future population growth will be concentrated in urban areas of Africa and Asia, 56 per cent of the
world‟s population resides in urban areas, a share that is projected to increase to 68 per cent in 2050. About 90
per cent of this urban growth will take place in Africa and Asia.

Events Organized by United Nations

(i) Economic Development
The United Nations highlighted the important role that population trends play in promoting sustainable
development, during the annual Commission on Population and Development, which began at UN Headquarters
in New York on 1st April, 2019. This year‟s Commission is also an opportunity to take stock and review
progress made since the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which
took place 25 years ago in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The 1994 event resulted in a Programme of Action, based
on the idea that investing in individual human rights, capabilities and dignity, and is the foundation of all
sustainable development. The Programme was described by the UN as “revolutionary”, because it succeeded in
bringing together diverse views on human rights, population, sexual and reproductive health, gender equality
and sustainable development, in the search for a global consensus.
This year‟s Commission would examine the many gains that have been made in implementing the
Programme of Action, but also the gaps and shortfalls in achieving its goals and objectives: these must be
addressed, says the UN, if we are to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN‟s plan of
action for bringing about a better and more sustainable future for all.
Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency
Affairs, UN drew attention to the four demographic “mega-trends” that are shaping the world in fundamental
ways: population growth, population ageing, international migration and urbanization. (Opinion of Under
Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, UN, DESA)
The two latter trends, international migration and urbanization, “affect the spatial distribution of
population,” she said, “and are linked in various and complex ways to the process of sustainable development.
(Opinion of Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, UN, DESA)
In her address, Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), credited “national
strategies and leadership, United Nations agencies, civil society, communities and our partners,” for their role in
bringing about the progress made since the International Conference on Population and Development. (Opinion
of Executive Director, UNFPA).

“The vision and values of the ICPD, that development must be people-centred, and attention paid to
strengthening equal access to health, education and human dignity for all persons, anticipated the vision and
values of the 2030 Agenda, our common blueprint for peace and prosperity, for people and the planet now and
in years to come.” (Opinion of Executive Director, UNFPA).

UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, warned that efforts on some Sustainable Development
Goals are not keeping pace with population growth, citing targets on poverty in the least developed countries,
child marriage, and people living in urban slums. (Opinion of UN Deputy Secretary General).

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

“While the percentage of affected persons may be declining,” she said, “their number is still rising. It is time for
the world to show greater ambition and urgency around SDG implementation that is fully aligned with the Cairo
Programme of Action.” (Opinion of UN Deputy Secretary General).

Ms. Mohammed emphasized the importance of gender equality in the implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals, and the involvement of women and girls as “agents of change,” with the ability to make
decision that affect their bodies and lives, including reproductive rights, and access to quality education.
(Opinion of UN Deputy Secretary General).

During the session of the Commission on Population and Development, representatives and experts
from UN Member States, UN entities and civil society gathered to consider the theme, “Review and appraisal of
the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and its contribution
to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” The deliberations at the
Commission assisted countries in integrating critical population issues for the High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development, to be organized by the Economic and Social Council, UN in July 2019.

(ii) UNGA to Conduct a High-Level Review of the Samoa Pathway in 2019

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States was held from 1-4 September
2014 in Apia, Samoa. The Conference resulted in the adoption of the Small Island Developing States
Accelerated Modalities of Action (or SAMOA Pathway) and the announcement of 300 multi-stakeholder
partnerships in support of SIDS. It also established a unique intergovernmental SIDS Partnership Framework,
designed to monitor progress of existing, and stimulate the launch of new, genuine and durable partnerships for
the sustainable development of SIDS. On 27 September 2019, the General Assembly will hold a one-day high
level review of the progress made in addressing the priorities of small island developing States (SIDS) through
the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway. The General Assembly has decided that the high level review will
result in "a concise action oriented and inter-governmentally agreed political declaration".

In 2018, a series of regional preparatory meetings as well as an inter-regional meeting for SIDS were
held to review the progress and implementation of the Samoa Pathway at the national and regional levels. These
meetings were facilitated and supported by UN-DESA through the SIDS Unit, OHRLLS and by relevant
agencies of the UN system including regional Commissions. A series of partnership dialogues have also been
organized in the margins of the preparatory meetings to support the work of the SIDS Partnership Framework
and the preparatory process related to the SAMOA Pathway mid-term review.

(iii) Humanitarian Aid

Approximately 113 million people in 53 countries experienced high levels of food insecurity during
2018, according to a new joint UN and European Union (EU) report released on 2 nd April, 2019 which warns
that these crises are primarily driven by conflict-related disasters.

“Global Report on Food Crises 2019”, shows that the number going chronically hungry has remained well over
100 million over the past three years, with the number of countries affected, rising.

According to the report, nearly two-thirds of those facing acute hunger come from just eight countries viz;
Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
And although there were 11 million fewer people believed to be in food crisis in 2018 compared with 2017, in
17 countries, acute hunger either remained the same or increased, the report indicates.

Moreover, an additional 143 million people in another 42 countries are just one step away from acute hunger.
Climate and natural disasters pushed another 29 million people into acute food insecurity in 2018, says the
report, and that number excludes 13 countries including North Korea and Venezuela because of data gaps.

"It is clear from the Global Report that despite a slight drop in 2018 in the number of people experiencing acute
food insecurity the most extreme form of hunger the figure is still far too high”, said FAO Director-General,
José Graziano da Silva, speaking at a two-day conference to discuss the findings, in Brussels. (Opinion of
Director-General, FAO).

“We must act at scale across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to build the resilience of affected and
vulnerable populations. To save lives, we also have to save livelihoods”, he added. (Opinion of Director-
General, FAO).

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

While critical to saving lives and alleviating human suffering, humanitarian assistance does not address the root
causes of food crises, WFP Executive Director, David Beasley noted in Brussels, highlighted the importance of
“attacking the root causes of hunger: conflict, instability, the impact of climate shocks”. (Opinion of Director,
WFP).
Programmes that make a community resilient and more stable will also reduce the number of hungry people.
And one thing we need world leaders to do as well: step up to the plate and help solve these conflicts, right
now”, Mr. Beasley added. (Opinion of Director, WFP).

From 2014 to 2020, the EU will have provided nearly €9 billion for initiatives on food and nutrition
security and sustainable agriculture in over 60 countries.

"Food crises continue to be a global challenge, which requires our joint efforts. The EU continues to step up its
humanitarian efforts. Over the last three years, the EU allocated the biggest humanitarian food and nutrition
assistance budget ever, with nearly €2 billion overall. Food crises are becoming more acute and complex and we
need innovative ways to tackle and prevent them from happening”, said Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner
for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. (Opinion of EU Commissioner, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis
Management).

III. STAKEHOLDERS TO THE ADOPTION OF 2030 AGENDA FOR SDGS OF UNITED

NATIONS
Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS) were integral to the development and adoption of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since its adoption, MGoS have been actively working towards its
implementation, through projects, initiatives, advocacy, knowledge-sharing, and monitoring of the 2030
Agenda. MGoS often work in partnership with other sectors, including governments.

Major Groups and other Stakeholders are also active in the annual follow-up and review process of the 2030
Agenda, which culminates in the annual High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development. The MGoS
are also encouraged to reach out to the Organizing Partners of their relevant constituency to find out more about
opportunities for engagement.

IV. ACTIVITIES OF UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND

SOCIAL AFFAIRS
UN DESA, collaborates closely with MGoS through a coordinating body of facilitators known as the
Organizing Partners, comprised of accredited organizations that are invited to be facilitators between the Major
Groups and other stakeholders and DESA. Organizing Partners are tasked with coordinating inputs and
streamlining communications from their particular constituencies. The resolution 67/290 has also encouraged
MGoS "to autonomously establish and maintain effective coordination mechanisms for participation in the high-
level political forum and for actions derived from that participation at the global, regional and national levels, in
a way that ensures effective, broad and balanced participation by region and by type of organization".
Subsequently, a coordination mechanism has been established with two co-chairs and is a central channel for
engagement with HLPF on sustainable development.

V. MULTISTAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS & VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS

The achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development
Goals will require all hands on deck. It will require different sectors and actors working together in an integrated
manner by pooling financial resources, knowledge and expertise. In the new development era with 17 inter-
twined Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets is a blue-print for achieving the sustainable
future. Cross-sectoral and innovative multi-stakeholder partnerships would play a crucial role for getting us to
where one need by the year 2030.

Partnerships for sustainable development are multi-stakeholder initiatives voluntarily undertaken by

Governments, inter-governmental organizations, major groups and others stakeholders, which efforts are
contributing to the implementation of inter-governmentally agreed development goals and commitments, as
included in Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, the Millennium Declaration, the outcome
document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) entitled “The Future We
Want”, the Third International Conference on Small island Developing States, and the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goal 17, which reads “Strengthen the means of implementation and
revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”, recognizes multi-stakeholder partnerships as
important vehicles for mobilizing and sharing knowledge, expertise, technologies and financial resources to
support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, particularly developing countries.
Goal 17 further seek to encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships,
building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

VI. PARTNERSHIP DATA FOR SDGS

The Partnership Data for SDGs (PDSDGs) initiative is a collaboration between the Division for
Sustainable Development of UN-DESA, the UN Office for Partnerships and the UN Global Compact aimed at
improving the transparency, accountability and the sharing of experiences of the work being carried out by
multi-stakeholder partnerships and voluntary commitments in their support to the implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative seeks to bring greater transparency, coherence, impact,
and comparability of the work carried out by multi-stakeholder partnerships and voluntary commitments by
promoting a system-wide use of the established SMART criteria a partnership/commitment that is Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Resource-based, with clear and Time-based deliverables. There is a growing trend to
collect voluntary commitments and partnerships in support of UN conferences and processes dealing with
sustainable development, sometimes with varying degree of associated level of details, which could lead to
difficulty in reviewing impact, track progress and conduct in-depth and global comparability analyses on
announced commitments and partnerships. It is against this background the Partnership Data for SDGs initiative
has been developed. The initiative is open for all entities within the United Nations that engage with, and
promote the work of, multi-stakeholder partnerships and voluntary commitments in driving implementation of
the SDGs.

VII. PROMOTING SMART

Promoting initiatives that are SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Resource-based, with Time-
based deliverables:

VIII. STEERING COMMITTEE CONSIDERS 2018-19 PARTNERSHIP WORK FOR SIDS

During the first 2019 meeting of the Steering Committee held on 21st February, 2019 of the small
island developing States(SIDS) Partnership Framework, there were discussions upcoming work for 2018 and
2019. The Committee also considered the status of SIDS Partnership and ways to catalyze new partnerships. In
September 2014, the Third International Conference on SIDS resulted with an inter-governmentally agreed
outcome document, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway which was followed by the
establishment of the SIDS Partnership Framework. The Framework aims to review and monitor existing
partnerships and to stimulate the launch of new, genuine and durable partnerships for the sustainable
development of SIDS. The SIDS Partnership Framework is guided by a Steering Committee open to all UN
States Members and Members of UN Specialized agencies. On February 21, 2019 members of the Steering
Committee met in New York to discuss 2018 achievements and to consider a work plan and expected outputs
for 2019. As part of the work plan they considered the Annual 2019 Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership
Dialogues. The dialogues provided opportunities to share solutions and experiences and led to the launch of 23
new partnerships. There is a steady rise in the number of partnerships since 2014, a large number of such
partnerships have been completed and many more would be completed. The SIDS Action Platform would
include best practices, case studies, partnerships innovations and challenges. On 11 April 2019 at UN
Headquarters in New York, the Partnership Accelerator for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was
launched. The Accelerator seeks to build the partnering skills and competencies of organizations to develop and
implement SDG partnerships, and support effective action networks for the SDGs such as multi-stakeholder
partnership platforms and mechanisms for engaging businesses and other stakeholders and catalyzing new
partnerships.

IX. NATIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES(NSDS)

The concept of National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) was proposed in 1992 in Agenda
21 where countries were called upon to integrate economic, social and environmental objectives into one
strategically focused blueprint for action at the national level. The NSDS should be developed through the
widest possible participation. It should be based on a thorough assessment of the current situation and
initiatives. In the Programme for the Future Implementation of Agenda 21 adopted at the 19th Special Session
of the General Assembly (23-28 June 1997), member States reaffirmed the importance of NSDS and set a target
of 2002 for the formulation and elaboration of NSDS that reflect the contributions and responsibilities of all
interested parties. However, by 2002, based on national reports received from governments, only about 85

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

countries had developed some form of national strategies and the nature and effectiveness of these strategies
varied considerably from country to country.

Every country needs to determine, for itself, how best to approach the preparation and implementation of its
national sustainable development strategy depending upon the prevailing political, historical cultural, ecological
circumstances. A "blueprint" approach for national sustainable development strategies is neither possible nor
desirable. The particular label applied to a national sustainable development strategy is not important, as long as
the underlying principles characterizing a national sustainable development strategy are adhered to and that
economic, social and environmental objectives are balanced and integrated.
Today, when incorporating the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and its 17 SDGs into national context,
although countries do not necessarily label them as “national sustainable development strategies”, all the
underlying core principles are deeply embedded in the national implementation of SDGs worldwide. As seen at
the Voluntary National Reviews at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, issues such as
country ownership and strong political commitment, the integration of economic, social and environmental
objectives across sectors, territories and generations; broad participation and effective partnerships, the
development of capacity and enabling environment, as well as the mobilization of means of implementations
remain at the centre of policy debates at all levels.

X. PARTNERING FOR SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS Conference) was
held from 1 to 4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa under the overarching theme of “The sustainable
development of Small Island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships”. The Conference
resulted in an intergovernmental agreed outcome document the SAMOA Pathway and the announcement of
300 multi-stakeholder partnerships devoted to the sustainable development of SIDS. An in-depth analysis of the
status and trends of partnerships for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well as a set of case studies
that provides a basis for the description of best practices in developing durable and genuine partnerships
for SIDS is of utmost significance. The aim to support Member States in preparing for the SAMOA Pathway
High-level Review that would take place on 27 September 2019 at United Nations (UN) headquarters, New
York is one of the core objectives of United Nations, being the key international organization.

Since 2015, a series of partnership dialogues have been organized by the UN Secretariat in close
collaboration with the Steering Committee, and other partners, to support the objectives of the SIDS
Partnership Framework. A total of 104 partnerships have been featured in the various dialogues since the 2014
Conference.

A total of 555 partnerships for SIDS, announced and registered with the UN Secretariat through various
conferences and processes. Around 300 of these partnerships were announced during the SIDS Conference in
2014. A total 261 new partnerships and commitments have been registered ever since. It is worth noting that a
large number of partnerships have up to (March 2019) completed their activities, and more are coming to an
end shortly. These partnerships offer invaluable experiences and lessons learned in the design of SIDS
partnerships.

Governments, regional organizations and UN entities lead most of these partnerships. At the global level, a
majority (52%) are led by the UN, while regional organizations and governments lead the majority of
partnerships with a regional focus.

In the Caribbean and the Pacific, a large number of partnerships are led by regional organizations. In the AIS
region, most likely due to the lack of a regional coordinating body, there are very few regional partnerships
most partnerships are either national or sub-regional in scope.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and civil society participate broadly in partnerships throughout
all regions, but lead very fe w of them. NGOs and civil society has the highest participation (16%) in
partnerships in the Pacific region. In addition, participation by the private sector and academia is generally
lower than other entity types.

Overall, the SAMOA Pathway priority areas are addressed by partnerships, but with a higher focus on
oceans and seas, climate change, sustainable economic growth, renewable energy and disaster risk reduction.

Out of 147 global partnerships, 117 are still active. Global partnerships play a crucial role in providing

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

dialogue and knowledge sharing and learning between regions. Climate change and resilience is by far the
largest priority area of such partnerships. Other common priority areas include biodiversity and oceans,
access to education, particularly higher education, access to technologies, data and information, as well as
renewable energy. Sustainable economic development includes partnerships designed to assist national
transitions to green and blue economies, including components such as sustainable tourism and fisheries.
Priority areas under-represented by global partnerships include social development, poverty, gender
equality, sustainable consumption and production, health and NCDs, and sustainable transportation.

Partnerships in the Caribbean address all of the SAMOA Pathway priority areas, with a focus on oceans and
seas (16%), sustainable economic growth (15%), climate change (13%), and sustainable energy (12%). In the
area of economic growth, the development of national green and blue economies, sustainable tourism and
fisheries, fostering private investment in nations around the region, rural economic development, and
improving capacity in public finance is a focus. Partnerships with a focus on sustainable energy are
centered on energy efficiency and development of clean and renewable energy technologies.

XI. IMPACTS OF PARTNERSHIPS

Overall, the partnerships have a positive impact for the sustainable development of SIDS. Examples of
these include:
 Direct impacts on beneficiaries (e.g. increased resilience of communities, customers enrolled in
financial services, improved access to safe water and sanitation for communities)
 Direct impacts on the environment (e.g. protection of marine and terrestrial environments)
 Knowledge, information, data and indicators (e.g. platforms for disaster management, nutrient
management and water and sanitation; knowledge sharing between drought-affected SIDS)
 Improved coordination between agencies and organizations, leading to a more effective and
comprehensive delivery of programs and outcomes
 Improved capacity (e.g. training programs on topics ranging from disaster resilience to wastewater
management, cultural heritage and comprehensive sexual education; delivery of university programs and
virtual education)
 Positive policy environment (e.g. training parliamentarians on gender issues and empowerment of
women, strengthening youth engagement in policy, and developing an agreed-upon comprehensive
sustainability vision).

XII. GAPS IN PARTNERSHIPS

Considering data from the Human Development Index (HDI) compiled for SIDS countries by
UNDP, highlight some under-represented SAMOA Pathway priority areas, which may require further
attention, including through partnerships. These areas include:

 Aspects of social and economic development, in particular addressing inequality and ensuring that
no one is left behind. Such partnerships may include actions relating to income inequality, poverty,
education, and health, and provide for the inclusion of marginalized groups.
 Multiple dimensions of poverty, particularly in countries and areas with a high number of poor and
vulnerable households. These partnerships may require sustained investments in human capital, such as
education and health, and food and nutrition security, and may include agriculture, small-scale fisheries,
rural development, market development, trade and other activities.
 Sustainable transportation, particularly in terms of low-carbon, low cost options for communities on
remote islands.
 Water, wastewater and sanitation in many areas where these services are still inadequate.
 Health and NCDs, particularly in assisting countries implement their NCD-related activities.
 Gender c o n s i d e r a t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n r e g a r d s t o i n c o m e e q u a l i t y , w o m e n ‟ s
participation in the workforce, and women‟s leadership.
 Integrated ecosystem management focusing on whole islands, particularly on terrestrial and
watershed areas, and their connection to the sea, as well as human livelihoods.
 Sustainable consumption and production, including addressing this topic holistically in the context of
small islands.
 Sourcing development finance for SIDS, which is an area that has not seen previous partnerships. One
proposal was to engage in partnerships with the insurance industry to mobilize innovative financing.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

XIII. PARTNERSHIP CHALLENGES

Common partnership challenges across regions include sustainable financing; capacity (human
and institutional); an enabling national environment for fostering new generation of partnerships; enabling
conditions for the participation of all stakeholders in partnerships; ensuring that the right people with the
right expertise are involved in each partnership; lack of trust between partners; and weak institutional,
legal and governance structures.

In addition, internal monitoring of partnerships and their impacts present challenges. There is a lack of baseline
data for partnerships, as well as limited monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess progress. Access
to information and statistics, managing data, and knowledge transfer were issues in many countries.

XIV. SIDS PARTNERSHIPS CRITERIA AND NORMS

In a response to discussions from the 2018 regional partnership dialogues, the co-chairs of the
Steering Committee developed the SIDS Partnership Criteria and Norms, which articulates what constitutes a
genuine and durable partnership for SIDS, through outlining elements of the SMART criteria - a partnership
that is:
 SIDS Specific
 Measurable & Monitorable
 Achievable & Accountable
 Resource-based and Results-focused, with
 Timelines for implementation & transparency by all parties.

A robust preparatory process is currently underway, which has featured three regional meetings of SIDS in
their respective regions, as well as an inter-regional meeting for all SIDS to be held in Apia, Samoa, from 30
October to 2 November 2019.

In support of the SAMOA Pathway mid-term review, a series of regional partnership dialogues, and one
inter-regional partnerships, has been organized in the margins of the preparatory meetings.

The partnership dialogues, made possible through generous funding support provided by the government of
Italy, have provided an opportunity to bring together relevant stakeholders from the different SIDS regions
to:
 Assess the status of partnerships for each SIDS region, identifying best practices and gaps around
which new partnerships could be forged to further drive implementation of SAMOA Pathway priority areas and
SDGs in SIDS;
 Raise the capacity of diverse stakeholders to develop genuine and durable partnerships for SIDS;
 Strengthen the review and monitoring process of SIDS partnerships.

XV. ANALYSIS OF PARTNERSHIPS FOR SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES:

AN OVERVIEW
Monitoring and review of partnerships for SIDS is crucial on many levels and on many counts. On
the level of individual partnerships, it is needed to assess whether a partnership is meeting its goals, what
impacts it has on its intended beneficiaries, and how it advances the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway
priority areas. On a national, regional and global level, monitoring and review of partnerships serve as a
crucial means for making sure commitments are fulfilled, priorities are aligned, and for showcasing best
practices and lessons learned.

XVI. REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUES

The regional partnership dialogues organized in 2018 in support of the SAMOA Pathway midterm
review stressed the need to improve the quality and quantifiable data that serves as the basis for undertaking
monitoring and review of partnerships. It was also emphasized that monitoring and review should be an
integral component of the design phase of any partnership and include an evaluation of its impact, as well
as an assessment of how the partnership relates to SAMOA Pathway priority areas, both within and outside
of its main area of focus. The in-depth analysis has shown, however, that many partnerships lack the capacity
and resources to conduct extensive regular monitoring and review.

Overall, there has been a steady rise in the number of partnerships for SIDS since the 2014 Conference. The
2017 UN Ocean Conference resulted in over 1,400 voluntary commitments for implementation of Sustainable
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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

Development Goal 14 (Oceans), which included many SIDS specific partnerships. Collectively, these
partnerships make considerable contributions to the sustainable development of SIDS.

XVII. GAPS IN CAPTURING LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS

While efforts have been made to locate detailed information about SIDS partnerships, it should be
kept in mind that this information is still likely to be incomplete. Many partnerships may not report to global
or even regional processes, and governments may not be aware of all active partnerships on the ground.
Therefore, it is very likely that there may be an underestimation of the number of partnerships, and that many
other partnerships, particularly at the local level, are operating in the regions, and outside the scope/purview
for determination of global Partnerships, focus of which is very large. Thus, the focus has only been to interpret
the status and trends of effective global partnerships and not in determining and in capturing absolute values
which seems to be a remote possibility given the landscape and scope of development of such types of
partnerships. The Steering Committee of the UN is a true and an effective instrument & forum in promoting and
advocating launch of new partnerships and consequent follow-up.

XVIII. SIDS Partnership Dialogues and Sequence of Events

The following are the year-wise sequence of events of global partnership dialogues that took place since 2015 viz;

(i) In 2015, an informal partnership dialogue was organized by Maldives and UN DESA in the margins
of the HLPF and focused primarily on SIDS including on how SIDS partnerships can advance the priority
areas identified in the SAMOA Pathway.

(ii) The first mandated Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue was held in 2016 during
the high-level week of the General Assembly which provided both updates to existing partnerships, and
launched several new partnerships for SIDS.

(iii) In 2017, the Steering Committee decided to focus the annual Dialogue on Ocean partnerships for SIDS,
as a concrete contribution to the 2017 UN Ocean Conference and SDG 14 for SIDS. This was a timely theme,
since roughly two thirds of all the 300 partnerships that were announced in the lead up to, and during, the SIDS
Conference in 2014, are related to oceans, seas and marine resources. This was a true testament of effective
global partnership approach adopted in 2014 in Samoa works, and is really the only pathway for achieving
future sustainable development goals across SIDS regions and across the world.

(iv) In 2018, the Dialogue was organized in the margins of the High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development (HLPF), with a focus on how partnerships can drive sustainable and resilient
societies in SIDS, which was in line with the theme of the 2018 HLPF.

(v) In 2018, as part of the support for the SAMOA Pathway midterm review, a series of partnership
dialogues were organized in the margins of the midterm review preparatory meetings, in Mauritius, Tonga,
Belize (regional), and Samoa (inter-regional).
(vi) The fourth (2019) Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue is scheduled for 10 July
2019, to be held in the margins of the HLPF.

(vii) A total of 104 partnerships have been featured in the various dialogues organized as part of the
follow-up of the SIDS Partnership Framework activities since the 2014.

Table 1 : Status & Reporting of Partnerships

Type of Partnerships/Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Total
New partnerships 300 1 18 219 23 261 (since 2014)
Progress reports N/a N/a 46 35 33 114 (since May
2016)
Active (accumulated) 300 279 259 442 460 460
Source: UN, DESA, N/a denotes not available

XIX. NEW PARTNERSHIPS, PARTICIPATION AND REPORTING

Overall, since the SIDS Conference in 2014, around 218 partnerships have reported on their
progress, either through the online standardized reporting template or by participating in the several
partnership dialogues organized.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

Since 2014, a total of 261 new partnerships and commitments for SIDS have been announced through
various processes.

Table - 2 : Partnerships Participation in Dialogues

Type of 2015 2016 2017 2018 Total
Partnerships/Year
Global Partnership 26 13 12 11 62
Dialogues
Samoa inter-regional
Partnership N/a N/a N/a 13 13
Dialogues
Regional Partnership N/a N/a N/a 29 29
Dialogues
Total 104
Source : UN, DESA, N/a denotes not available

As demonstrated in table above, a substantial number of partnerships have participated in the various
partnership dialogues from 2015 to 2018, with a significant increase in participation in 2018 due to the
processes related to the 2019 SAMOA Pathway mid-term review.

Overall, the numbers show that partnerships have increased in all regions since the 2014 SIDS
Conference. The Pacific region has the most partnerships, followed by the Caribbean, and AIS. In addition,
SIDS in all regions participate in global and multi-regional partnerships.

Table - 3 : Partnerships by Region

SIDS Regions Partnerships Completed Active
AIMS 82 25 57
Caribbean 178 37 141
Pacific 287 64 223
Other (including Global) 147 30 117
Source : UN, DESA

XX. INTEGRATION IN PARTNERSHIPS

The study also focuses on the aspect that in order to promote effective global partnerships, integration
of partnerships are the sinquanon of global sustainable development and in attaining sustainable development
goals. Most partnerships address multiple SAMOA Pathway priority areas, demonstrating a high degree of
integration in their design. For example, partnerships relating to fisheries also often promote economic and
social development, sustainable consumption and production, food security and nutrition, as well as gender
equality. Partnerships relating to water and sanitation also recognize a contribution to human and
environmental health and economic development. Many climate change-related partnerships also incorporate
issues related to renewable energy, environmental sustainability, resilience, disaster risk reduction, livelihoods
and marine transportation.

Perhaps the most well-integrated partnerships are those relating to green and blue economies, which
place themselves in the nexus of economic development, social inclusion and environmental protection. These
partnerships often seek to advance innovation, new technologies, and capacities, and provide employment
opportunities in sectors including sustainable tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, transportation,
blue carbon, etc.

XXI. IDENTIFICATION OF UNDER-REPRESENTED AREAS T O ADDRESS N EW OR

ENHANCED PARTNERSHIPS
The data from the Human Development Index (HDI) compiled for SIDS countries by UNDP,
highlight some under-represented Samoa Pathway priority areas, which may require further attention to
improve and integrate the partnerships process. These areas include:

i. Aspects of social and economic development, in particular addressing inequality and ensuring
that no one is left behind. Such partnerships may include actions relating to income inequality,
poverty, education, and health, and provide for the inclusion of marginalized groups.
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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

ii. Multiple dimensions of poverty, particularly in countries and areas with a high number of poor and
vulnerable households. These partnerships may require sustained investments in human capital, such as
education and health, and food and nutrition security, and may include agriculture, small-scale fisheries,
rural development, market development, trade and other activities.
iii. Sustainable transportation, particularly in terms of low-carbon, low cost options for communities on
remote islands.
iv. Water, wastewater and sanitation in many areas where these services are still inadequate.
v. Health and NCDs, particularly in assisting countries implement their NCD-related activities.
vi. Gender considerations, particularly i n r e g a r d s t o i n c o m e equality, women‟s participation in the
workforce, and women‟s leadership.
vii. Integrated ecosystem management focusing on whole islands, particularly on terrestrial and
watershed areas, and their connection to the sea, as well as human livelihoods.
viii. Sustainable consumption and production, including addressing this topic holistically in the context
of small islands.
ix. Sourcing development finance for SIDS, which is an area that has not seen previous partnerships.
One proposal was to engage in partnerships with the insurance industry to mobilize innovative
financing.

XXII. GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

Global partnerships have the important function of providing for dialogue and learning between
regions, while allowing countries to make collective progress on issues and policies of common concern.
Climate change and resilience is in fact the largest priority area of global SIDS partnerships. The other
common priority areas of partnerships on the global level include bio-diversity and oceans; access to education,
particularly higher education; access to technologies, data and information; as well as renewable energy.

The priority area of sustainable economic development includes partnerships designed to assist national
transitions to green and blue economies, including its components such as sustainable tourism and fisheries.
Priority areas with far fewer partnerships include social development, poverty, gender equality, sustainable
consumption and production, health and NCDs, and sustainable transportation.

There are currently 147 global and inter-regional SIDS-relevant partnerships registered. These are either
partnerships specifically designed for SIDS to collaborate across regions and share experiences, or global
partnerships involving SIDS and other countries. South-South cooperation, in particular, offers opportunities
for SIDS to advance knowledge and implementation of the SAMOA Pathway.

One important function of global SIDS partnerships is to provide for dialogue and learning between regions,
and at the same time, to allow countries to make collective progress on issues and policies of common
concern. The Global Island Partnership is an example of a global high-level islands partnership that aims to
build resilient and sustainable island communities by inspiring leadership, catalyzing commitments and
facilitating collaboration for all islands.

XXIII. GLOBAL ISLAND PARTNERSHIP (GLISPA)

Global Island Partnership promotes action to build resilient and sustainable island communities by
inspiring leadership, catalyzing commitments and facilitating collaboration. It is a partnership for all islands,
regardless of size or political status, to take greater action to conserve and sustainably utilize invaluable island
natural resources that support people, culture and livelihoods around the world.

GLISPA realizes its mission by undertaking the following activities:

(i) Mobilizing high level political will for island commitments and action on resilience and sustainability.
(ii) Building and strengthening partnerships that implement global resilience, conservation &
sustainability goals on islands, especially the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
(iii) Helping members strategize to bring global attention to and support for island solutions and
initiatives, especially through major international meetings & conferences.

While GLISPA provides an overarching platform for collaboration on island issues, most of the
global partnerships are focused on one or several SAMOA Pathway priority areas. Climate change and
renewable energy are addressed through many global partnerships, while other priority areas, particularly
those relating to poverty, health and social sustainability, are less represented overall.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

Some examples of climate change-related partnerships include the following:

(i) SIDS Blue Guardians Partnership for Protecting Oceans and Climate-resilient Blue Economies;
(ii) South-South Cooperation between Pacific and Caribbean SIDS on Climate Change Adaptation and
Disaster Risk Management (DRM);
(iii) German Strategic Cooperation with SIDS on Climate Change Adaptation & Disaster Risk
Management;
(iv) World Bank‟s Small Island States Resilience Initiative (SISRI);
(v) Commonwealth‟s Climate Finance Access Hub;
(vi) Global Adaptation Network (GAN) to help build climate resilience of vulnerable communities,
ecosystems and economies through the mobilization of knowledge for adaptation; and
(vii) Climate Resilient Islands Partnership - An Inter-Regional Partnership on Climate Change Planning
and Finance in Small Island Developing States.

Biodiversity and the oceans are, either directly or indirectly, part of more than half of the registered
partnerships.

Some examples include the following viz; a) UNEP‟s Blue Carbon Initiative; the Global
Programme of Action for Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-based sources (UNEP-GPA), and its
partnerships on marine litter, wastewater, nutrients, and waste; b) International Coral Reef Initiative, Global
Coral Reef Monitoring Network; Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON); and
SANDWATCH, and c) Global Observatory of Changing Environments in SIDS based on citizen science.

XXIV. UNITED NATIONS AND GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

(i) The United Nations‟ Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs
(DOALOS) collaborates with the International Seabed Authority and other inter-governmental organizations
to promote and facilitate the development and conduct of marine scientific research (MSR) in accordance with
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Nippon Foundation and DOALOS
collaborate on building capacities on ocean governance for the implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals. There were also many partnerships that sought to improve access to technologies and
information for sustainable development in SIDS.

(ii) A number of organizations, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Climate
Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and UN Environment support access to technologies. Among this
is WIPO‟s Access to Research for Development and Innovation (ARDI), which provides research institutions
in developing countries free or low-cost access to over 20,000 journals, books and reference works across
numerous scientific and technical disciplines; and WIPO GREEN, which promotes innovation and diffusion
of green technologies by promoting skill and technology sharing.

(iii) UNEP Live provides support to integrated environmental assessment processes by making accessible
global, regional and national data and knowledge flows. The ICT-SIDS Partnership provides assistance to the
implementation of SDGs through latest digital innovations. The private sector was involved in partnerships
to provide better telecommunications and broadband access to SIDS.

(iv) In addition to technologies, a number of partnerships support SIDS through better access to
environmental data. They include the International Hydrographic Organization, which provides fundamental
mapping of seas and oceans, as well as hydrographic data, and the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative
(GOBI), which compiles data on marine biodiversity, including ecosystems and species, for better
understanding and management of the ocean.

The priority area of economic development is also relatively well covered, although topics such as trade are
under-represented. Partnerships relating to economic development incorporate national transitions to green and
blue economies, sustainable tourism, microfinance, repurposing plastic litter in the ocean, rebuilding fisheries,
combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and trade in fisheries.

Some examples of partnerships include a) UNEP‟s Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE);
Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism; Microlead, a local microfinance programme led by UNCDF; b)
the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme; FAO‟s programmes on blue growth, strengthening

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

fisheries and implementing the Port State Measures Agreement; and c) UNCTAD‟s Trade in Fisheries
initiative and d) an innovative economic initiative undertaken by Parley for the Oceans, in collaboration with
the private sector and governments, seeks to repurpose plastic waste found on beaches.

The area of social development is under-represented in global partnerships, and there was no partnership found
that specifically focused on poverty reduction.

While there were several partnerships relating to youth, such as the SIDS Youth Network, only one global
partnership directly address gender equality; a partnership to enhance the role of women in marine scientific
research through capacity building led by the International Seabed Authority.

One partnership, a corporate programme of the GEF implemented by United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), sought to reduce the vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity of communities and
disabled persons to manage the additional risks of climate change.
Sustainable Consumption and Production was similarly under-represented, only with one partnership titled
the “Sustainable Consumption and Production for SIDS Initiative”, which aims to undertake the
development of national SCP Plans and sub-regional coordination planning frameworks for SIDS, including
the promotion of lifecycle based and integrated planning methods.

The SAMOA Pathway priority area of health was represented by two registered global partnerships: the Joint
United Nations Team on AIDS (JUNTA) initiative on HIV/AIDS prevention, and the NCD Alliance; with
2,000 civil society organizations in more than 170 countries, dedicated to improving NCD prevention and
control worldwide. Considering the prevalence of NCDs in SIDS, this area could be enhanced through
improved support to SIDS on their national NCD actions.

Finally, transportation was represented by two International Maritime Organization (IMO) projects: the IMO‟s
Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres' Network Project (GMN), which conducts training on
energy efficiency and GHG in shipping; and a project to reduce hull fouling in ships.

XXV. THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX AND POTENTIAL FUTURE D IRECTIONS

FOR SIDS PARTNERSHIPS
UNDP has calculated the 2017 Human Development Index (HDI) for 36 out of 38 SIDS
countries. The results of these calculations may help in determining priority areas for new SIDS partnerships.
The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for
assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone. The HDI is a summary measure of
average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being
knowledgeable and having a decent standard of living.

The average HDI value for the SIDS is 0.684 and is above the average HDI for developing countries
(0.681), but below the world average of 0.728.

XXVI. GLOBAL OVERVIEW OF SAMOA PATHWAY

Global economic growth appears robust and there is renewed optimism that the world economy
may be turning a corner, as it is projected to expand at a steady pace of 3% in 2019 and 2020. A closer
look at the data however, reveals significant shortcomings in the foundations and quality of economic
growth across countries. The figures conceal an uneven pace of economic progress especially for
SIDS, where GDP growth remains well below 7% per annum as well as of the Member States: Austria,
Australia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, US, Japan, New Zealand, Qatar, Russian Federation and four SIDS: Fiji,
Tuvalu, Samoa, Solomon Islands.

When the human development index is examined, four SIDS (Singapore, Bahrain, Bahamas and Barbados)
rank very high; 20 are high, 7 medium and 5 SIDS are in the low human development group. Despite this
ranking, data gathered on socio-economic progress remains uneven for many SIDS. Important social indicators
point to social fissures, revealing high levels of unemployment, substantial incidences of poverty, high rates
of crime, and persistent income inequality. Children and adolescents remain “over-represented” in the poor
population and are more vulnerable to the consequences of poverty and inequality.

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 Global Partnerships SAMOA Pathway and Sustainable Development Goals

XXVII. THE SAMOA PATHWAY AND THE 2030 AGENDA

The SAMOA Pathway articulates the sustainable development aspirations, and priorities of SIDS for
the period 2015–2025. Building on previous SIDS sustainable development agendas, it is a stand-alone regime
that reaffirms SIDS as a special case for sustainable development. The SAMOA Pathway is consistent with the
2030 Agenda, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Paris
Agreement and the New Urban Agenda.

The need for the design of a monitoring and accountability framework and tools adapted to the
capacity of SIDS to monitor and report on the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway and other sustainable
development related global mandates, while also avoiding the burden of multi reporting frameworks, was
recognized and recommended in 2016. The governing bodies of the United Nations system organizations who
were recommended to formulate such a design, responded by noting that the monitoring and accountability
frameworks for reporting on progress made regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should be
adapted to all contexts, including those of SIDS.

In the absence of a specific monitoring and evaluation framework, in order to exhibit a more measured
analysis of implementation progress, the priority areas of the SAMOA Pathway were aligned with the SDGs
under the three dimensions of sustainable development. The data collected from the Sustainable Development
Solutions Network (SDSN) was used to also give a visual indication of overall progress. It must be
highlighted however, that due to overlap in categorization and focus, several priorities in the SAMOA
Pathway do require their own measuring tool to ensure accurate assessment.

Concluding Observations and Policy Recommendations

The focus of the research study has been to study and analyze the effective global partnerships for
effective economic, social, cultural, political, environmental development and the effectiveness of SAMOA
Pathway in attaining SDGs slated by United Nations. United Nations being a global multilateral organization
has been playing a leading and pioneering role in developing suitable strategies and in linking and establishing
various economies through effective global partnerships. The development of the SAMOA Pathway, SIDS,
LDCs, LLDCs have led to achieving SDGs in the long run through effective global partnerships. The National
Development Plans, Policies and Strategies of the National Economies can be suitably integrated with the global
economies through effective global partnerships in various macro sectors of the various economies such as
social aggregates like health, education, peace, justice, migration, poverty, human development, economic
aggregates such as production, growth, inflation, industry, trade, environment and climate change, political
aggregates like political cooperation, political stability etc., Hence, it can be concluded and recommended that
effective international trade, international cooperation, global peace, justice and global governance, conflict
resolution can be attained through development of effective, global, national, regional, local partnerships
through economic growth and structural transformation of SIDS, LLDCs, LDCs and the SAMOA Pathway
which in turn would attain SDGs by 2030 slated by United Nations.

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*Corresponding Author: U.Sarangi

The author is an officer in Government of India, New Delhi

*Corresponding Author: Dr. U.Sarangi1 www.aijbm.com 61 | Page