This year's Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Global Business Network Forum and Island Investment Forum is to be held in the Maldives this month.
A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the forum, scheduled to be held at Barceló Nasandhura Hotel in Malé, is organized on behalf of the Maldivian Government by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, in collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).
The three-day forum will be held from Sunday through Tuesday next
The Ministry stated that hosting the forum in Maldives was facilitated following President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's initiative at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States held in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024, where he urged further efforts to strengthen connections among small island nations and achieve sustainable development, particularly in securing necessary financial resources for development.
The President chaired plenary sessions in his capacity as Vice President of the SIDS Conference. In addition to participating in various panels at the conference—which is held once every 10 years—the Maldives also hosted several high-level side events. Furthermore, the Maldives served as a Co-Chair of the conference's Preparatory Committee.
According to the Ministry, the SIDS Global Business Network Forum is held biennially, having been conducted as a series since the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States held in 2014.
Objectives of the Forum:
- Increasing the participation of businesses, various investors, donors, and civil society organizations alongside states in the development of Small Island Developing States.
- As with previous meetings, this year's forum plans various activities and work to discuss the challenges and opportunities for conducting business, investing, and executing economic development projects in Small Island Developing States, to learn solutions and share experiences from one another, and to strengthen ties with businesses, organizations, and investors across different regions.
- Special priority will be given to sharing with forum participants the progress achieved by Maldives on its path to development, the experiences and lessons learned in attaining that progress, and the innovative work being carried out by Maldivian businesses.
- Various activities are planned to showcase the work being undertaken by the Maldives in the fields of tourism, fisheries, renewable energy, and conservation.
The Ministry stated that the Island Investment Forum is scheduled to be held as a regular series under the "Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS)," adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States.
The objective of that forum is to identify investment opportunities and challenges in Small Island Developing States, strengthen ties with investors, and seek parties to invest in those nations, the Ministry said.
According to the Ministry, as this year's forum marks the official launch of the Island Investment Forum, its target is to identify investment opportunities and encountered challenges, share experiences, and work toward finding solutions.
The Ministry noted that over 200 delegates from more than 30 countries are scheduled to participate in the forum.
