The Bahamas is eligible to access a full range of negotiated benefits made available by the United Nations (UN) for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) without restrictions, Senator Dr. Marcus Bethel Minister of Health and Environmental Services said on Wednesday.
Dr. Bethel’s announcement was made during a media briefing on the outcome of the International Meeting to review the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) held in Port Louis, Mauritius Jan. 10 – 14.
Recommendations for further and successful implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA), which was adopted by the UN in 1994, was discussed during the meeting.
The BPOA outlines specific measures at the national, regional and international levels in support of the sustainable development of SlDS.
“The meeting reached successful conclusions on a wide range of issues critical to the sustainable development of SIDS,” Dr Bethel said.
Agreements were reached on climate change and adaptation, natural and other environmental disasters, waste management, management of coastal and marine resources, fresh water resources, land use management, energy resources, tourism management, biodiversity, and the development of capacity for sustainable development and related education needs.
“Following the adoption of this strategy for the implementation, the UN bodies and the world’s governments have given a commitment to provide assistance and special treatment for SIDS in achieving these goals,” Dr. Bethel said.
“The agencies of the UN will be instructed to develop work programmes to implement areas of the strategy that fall under their purview. Governments will utilise the documents as the basis of the assistance they provide to SIDS and any concessions granted to that group of countries,” he added.
Dr. Bethel also said the Bahamian delegation was able to ensure that the blueprint for the development of SIDS did not exclude The Bahamas and that its special needs were taken into account.
He noted that The Bahamas co-hosted one of the “most successful” meetings on the sidelines of the conference on the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity in conjunction with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Biodiversity.
This programme of work will facilitate the implementation of the biodiversity components of the Strategic Document and have the financial backing of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
“The Bahamas participated as a key speaker at the high level event hosted by The Nature Conservancy for the announcement of a new initiative of managing marine and coastal parks,” Dr Bethel said.
The Bahamas was identified as a nation that has achieved major advances in this area and a model for the rest of the world.
“As a result of this participation it has been estimated that over $1 million will be available for The Bahamas to manage its marine and coastal parks. These funds will be available to both governmental and non-governmental organisations.”
The Bahamas was also given $25,000 by the government of Mauritius to assist with hurricane recovery efforts.
He said The Bahamas is also able to access some $40 million Euros from the Italian government for the establishment of a work programme to implement the strategy for SIDS.
The Bahamas also held bi-lateral meetings with the government of Croatia on a mutual co-operation and support package and with the British government which expressed its continued support for The Bahamas and its programmes and explained the reasons for the closure of its High Commission in Nassau.
Dr. Bethel was accompanied by Miss Paulette Bethel, The Bahamas representative to the UN in New York; Dr. Donald Cooper, undersecretary, Ministry of Health and Environmental Services; Earlston McPhee, director of sustainable tourism, Ministry of Tourism; Tischa Frazier, senior counsel, The Bahamas Mission to UN; Rochelle Newbold, senior environment officer,
Lindsay Thompson, The Nassau Guardian
January 22, 2005
