Small Island Developing States (SIDS) suffer disproportionately from inequities in the ocean economy, such as unfair distribution of commercial fish catches, unequal participation in trade of ocean goods and services, and a lack of voice and power in decision-making processes related to ocean economic and financial governance. As a result, they receive fewer financial benefits from the ocean economy.
This session will take stock of these challenges, with data and analysis from UNCTAD and ODI, and case studies from the Maldives and French Overseas Territories. Speakers will also highlight initiatives and examples of governance reforms that have enhanced ocean equity and unlocked finance for small island nations.
Panelists:
- Ms. Emily Wilkinson, Acting Head, Risk and Resilience Programme, The Overseas Development Institute, UK
- H.E. Mr. Ali Naseer Mohamed, Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Penipotentiary, Maldives Mission to the UN
- Ms. Rebecca Fabrizi, UK Special Envoy for Small Island Developing States. Deputy Director for the Americas and Head if Caribbean and SIDS, FCDO
- Ms. Gail Hurley, Independent Advisor and Senior Researcher on Debt and Development Finance
- Mr. Jérémie Pellet, Chief Executive Officer, Expertise France
- Ms. Kiran Atwal, Head, SIDS Hub, United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
- Ms. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD
- Mr. James Ellsmoor, CEO, Island Innovation. Co-founder and Director, Solar Head of State
In preparation for the 2025 United Nations Oceans Conference and in support of World Oceans Day, ODI Global's RESI network has published a new briefing paper: 'Turning the tide: enhancing ocean equity for Small Island Developing States'. The policy briefing contains a key set of recommendations that will help to enhance ocean equities, deliver for SIDS and for oceans. Read here.
Emily has 25 years’ experience as a researcher, analyst, journalist, lecturer and adviser to government.
She has written over 50 books, chapters, journal articles and reports on climate, disasters and development, and co-produced the award-winning documentary Climate Blueprint: Dominica.
Emily is an adviser to AOSIS and served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica from 2019-2023.
H.E. Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed is Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the UN, and formerly Ambassador to the United States and Chair of AOSIS.
A diplomat with 35 years of experience, Ambassador Naseer is a leader in crafting solutions on key issues at the United Nations General Assembly, the G77, and SIDS Conferences.
As Maldives Foreign Secretary from 2013-17, he coordinated and supervised the implementation of Maldives foreign policy.
Mr Jérémie Pellet is Chief Executive Officer of Expertise France.
He was previously Deputy Director General of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), in charge of activities with local authorities, public companies, the private sector and NGOs, and coordinating strategy, communication, partnerships, research and innovation.
He was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Proparco, the AFD Group's private sector subsidiary, and Chairman of its Investment Committee.
Ms Kiran Atwal is Head of the FCDO SIDS Hub.
She oversees delivery of the Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience programme and the Sustainable Blue Economies programme.
She was previously UK Institutional Lead to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Private Secretary to the Minister for South and Central Asia, UN and the Commonwealth, and Head of Country Programmes, post Hurricane Irma, to the Overseas Territories.
Ms Gail Hurley is Co-Director of RESI and an ODI Research Associate. She is a specialist in innovative financing models for the blue economy, with a particular focus on developing financing solutions in the Global South.
She was Director of Advisory at Finance Earth from 2022-2023, and worked for 10 years as a Policy Specialist and Advisor on Development Finance with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York.
Chantal Line Carpentier joined UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)'s Division on International Trade and Commodities (DITC) in 2014, after serving as Chief, UNCTAD New York Office of the Secretary-General. She brings to the Branch over 25 years of work experience in international trade, and environmental and agro-economics.
Prior to working with UNCTAD, she supported the Commission on Sustainable Development and served as Major Groups (of non-State actors) coordinator for the UN Rio+20 Conference and the SDGs negotiations at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). She also supported the sustainable consumption and production and sustainable agriculture negotiations.
As Head of the North American Free Trade Agreement Commission for Environmental Cooperations, she lead work on the nexus of environment, economy, and trade. She also served as Agro-environmental Policy Analyst for Winrock International, and post-Doctoral fellow/Brazil office manager for the International Food Policy Research Institute.
She has an extensive list of publications on sustainable agriculture, trade and environment, sustainable consumption and production, financing for sustainable development, stakeholder engagement, global value chains, micro, small and medium enterprises, and economic empowerment of women.
She obtained a PhD. in Agro-Environmental Economics from Virginia Technology and MSc. and BSc. from McGill University.
Mr James Ellsmoor is a writer, entrepreneur and sustainability expert.
He is co-founder and CEO of Island Innovation, a social enterprise and digital media company which runs the Virtual Island Summit, promoting cross-sector collaboration and the sharing of best practice in sustainable development.
He is co-founder and Director of Solar Head of State, an international non-profit which works with governments across the Caribbean and Pacific Islands raising awareness of renewable energy.
