Barbados +5.

• Author: Acosta, Yvonne

Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Samoa's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, looks to the special session of the General Assembly with optimism, and to the future development of countries like his own-with populations ranging from under 1,000 to just below 11 million inhabitants-with pragmatism.

"Our primary message is implementation. We are submitting ideas by which we think the implementation of the Barbados Programme could be deepened and strengthened." Much attention is being given to the question of cooperation and coordination among donor activities, as well as within the United Nations system. Increased cooperation and coordination, as well as the development of well-targeted projects and programmes, will address the issue of duplication in development activities and relieve the burden of implementation by the small bureaucracies and, in many cases, the limited human resources available for such activities in small island States.

A 41-member Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) was born in the early 1990s in the context of negotiations on environmental issues. One overarching issue for small island States, Ambassador Slade, Chairman of the Alliance, notes, is the adverse effects of climate change which emphasizes the vulnerability of those countries and has the potential to impact on their very existence. To those problems can be added the loss of biodiversity and the potential for a decrease in trade-all global problems that are generated externally. "All of them, like climate change, are not of the making of small island States", Samoa's Permanent Representative says. "There are unique circumstances pertaining to island States. They are ecologically vulnerable. Their smallness is a serious physical disadvantage. Their smallness means, for example, that their endeavours to build a good solid economy could be rendered nil overnight as a result of a natural disaster-by a hurricane."

Regional cooperation is essential. The Pacific has "been able to develop very specialized organizations that deal with political issues, fishing and matters pertaining to the environment, health" and other issues. In the Caribbean, institutions such as the University of the West Indies and CARICOM have also emerged. But this is not true everywhere. "Africa is just beginning to give a lot of attention to strengthening regional institutions," which are "a vehicle for the implementation of foreign assistance and development assistance".

Chairman Slade agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General's assessment that there has been "perceptible progress" in the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action, especially in the area of regional cooperation among small island States. International action is critical. "Small island States axe not seeking handouts". At the same time, the difficulties they face cannot be dealt with unless "we can be assured of the necessary financial assistance". But they face a decline in official development assistance (ODA) and, more so, limited or no private investment. For the near future, however, AOSIS looks forward to receiving support for the more than 300 projects the small island States presented to a donor/ SIDS meeting earlier this year.

High on the agenda is the need for training and capacity-building, including engaging in sustainable...