In May 2024, the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) took place in Antigua, where leaders agreed the next ten-year roadmap for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the “Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS: A Renewed Agenda for Resilient Prosperity (ABAS)”.

In this episode, Emily and Matt review the conference, bringing to life the event’s atmosphere, discussing key highlights, and – crucially – asking “What now needs to happen for the ABAS to be successful over the next decade?”.

In “Island Voices”, Naya Sena provides a civil society perspective on SIDS4. In the “Explainer”, Margot St John-Sebastian talks through the negotiating process that produced the ABAS. In “The Big Picture”, Sai Navoti, Rebecca Fabrizi and Tumasie Blair reflect separately on their conference highlights.

Featuring:

• Emily Wilkinson (host) | RESI Director and Principal Research Fellow at ODI
• Matthew Bishop (host) | RESI Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
• Naya Sena | Researcher, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo
• Margot St John-Sebastian | Lead Negotiator, AOSIS
• Sai Navoti | Chief of the SIDS Unit, UNDESA
• Rebecca Fabrizi | UK Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Envoy and Head of the Caribbean and SIDS Department at FCDO
• Tumasie Blair | Deputy Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the UN

Resources

• Programme page | Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI)
• SIDS4 Communiqué | The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) – A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity
• SIDS4 Policy brief | A global bargain for resilient prosperity in SIDS
• Future Forum Report | Shaping the Future of Small Island Developing States
• Global Voices piece | Why small islands need their own Marshall Plan
• RESI Debt Project | Breaking the Cycle of Debt in SIDS
• Conversation piece | Debt-disaster-debt: hurricane-damaged islands are being saddled with loans they cannot afford
• Guardian piece | Caribbean leaders call for ‘Marshall plan’ to help rebuild after Hurricane Beryl

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In recent years, the notion of the “Blue Economy” has gained traction in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) policy debates. Focusing on the often-enormous marine spaces encompassed in SIDS’ exclusive economic zones (EEZs) – rather than their diminutive terrestrial landmasses – implies SIDS are really “large ocean states” rather than “small island states”. For proponents, the “Blue Economy” represents an entirely new way of thinking that offers a host of novel economic opportunities. For critics, it is little more than a buzzword that potentially “bluewashes” familiar forms of resource enclosure and extraction.

In this episode of "Small Islands Big Picture", Emily and Matt try to chart a path between these two positions, asking “What is new – and blue – about the Blue Economy discourse? Why have some SIDS and international organisations embraced it so enthusiastically? Are there dangers in advocating for and pursuing it? And how it might be deployed to generate wealth through conservation, rather than exploitation of oceanic resources?”.

In “Island Voices” we hear from Karuna Rana of the Big Ocean States Initiative in Mauritius who advocates using blue innovation to support community development. For our “Explainer”, Liam Saddington of Cambridge University demystifies the Blue Economy concept and discusses some of his research in the Seychelles. The “Big Picture” welcomes Nicole Leotaud from the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) in Trinidad and Tobago to hear how civil society visions of socially and ecologically sound “blueing” are being advanced. Finally, in “No Stupid Questions”, Matt and Emily ask, “Is the Blue Economy really that novel, or just old wine in new bottles?”.

Featuring:

• Emily Wilkinson (host) | RESI Director and Principal Research Fellow at ODI
• Matthew Bishop (host) | RESI Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
• Karuna Rana | Director, Big Ocean States Initiative (BOSI)
• Liam Saddington | Teaching Associate, University of Cambridge
• Nicole Leotaud | Director, Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI)

Resources:

• Programme page | Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI)
• Karuna’s Future Forum Paper | Closing the blue funding gap: How can SIDS mobilise a blue innovation fund for community development?
• Liam’s Geoforum Paper | Geopolitical imaginaries in climate and ocean governance: Seychelles and the Blue Economy
• CANARI’s SIDS4 Report | The Caribbean we want: Civil Society recommendations for transformative pathways to Caribbean sustainable development

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Citizenship is traditionally granted by right – on the basis of birthplace or parentage – or acquired through naturalisation – on the basis of sustained residency and allegiance to the state. Yet, many small countries are increasingly “selling sovereignty” through Citizenship by Investment (CBI) or Residence by Investment (RBI) schemes. These “golden passports” and “golden visas” generate sizeable revenues for many small island developing states (SIDS), but they have also come under scrutiny from powerful states and international organisations, especially the European Union.

In this episode of Small Islands Big Picture, Emily and Matt explore the proliferation of these schemes, asking, ‘If all states – including the very wealthiest – have them, why do smaller states seem to be under the greatest surveillance?’. They discuss the long-term sustainability of these schemes, where the money they generate is going, examples of good practice, and how the international community can support SIDS to ensure they continue to profit from CBI/RBI schemes while also strengthening their governance.

In “Island Voices”, we hear from CEO of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Tina Urso. In the “Explainer”, Matt and Emily discuss the different kinds of CBI/RBI schemes that exist around the world. Dr Dan Hammett and Dr Owen Parker join “The Big Picture” to discuss why the CBI and RBI industry is booming, and why Brussels is increasingly uneasy about it. Finally, in “No Stupid Questions”, Matt and Emily ask, “If CBI and RBI schemes are so problematic, why does the international community not simply ban them?”.

Featuring:

• Emily Wilkinson (host) | RESI Director and Senior Research Fellow at ODI
• Matthew Bishop (host) | RESI Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
• Tina Urso | CEO, The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Malta
• Dan Hammett | Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Sheffield
• Owen Parker | Senior Lecturer in European Politics, University of Sheffield

Resources:

• Programme page | Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI)
• Investigative Journalism from Malta | The Daphne Project
• Dan and Owen's SIDS Future Forum paper | Sovereignty sales, economic revitalisation and inclusive development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
• Dan Presenting on CBI Schemes | Session 1 (Resilient Economies) at SIDS Future Forum

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