SIDS face an intractable cocktail of issues that threaten to derail their development progress and remove opportunities for future growth. The climate crisis is not the only major threat. A rapidly changing geopolitical and economic landscape – defined by the reassertion of great power politics, the collapse of multilateralism and increasing economic protectionism – will likely reduce options for SIDS to exert influence via their numbers in multilateral fora, or to exploit economic niches. These two strategies have previously been critical to SIDS’ relative success as a group of countries in the past – and are why many have achieved higher-middle income status.

To sustain these gains will be tricky. SIDS will need a strong enabling environment, whereby the international community recognises the special situation of these small vulnerable nations and takes appropriate action to assist them. This support has not always been forthcoming. Since the 1990s, SIDS have sought special and differential treatment (SDT) based on their unique vulnerabilities – with mixed success. The category of ‘small vulnerable economies’ was created in international trade, but it had limited legal standing. Although there have been various SIDS conferences, and there has been recognition of their SDT, small island nations have not enjoyed the same advantages compared to – for example – least-developed countries (LDCs).