Seychelles chosen to chair SIDS group at Unesco
10.10.2009
Seychelles is to chair the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) group at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), along with St Kitts and Nevis.
Ambassador Claude Morel, Seychelles’ permanent delegate to Unesco, was endorsed as the group’s co-chairman during the meeting of SIDS ministers attending the 35th session of Unesco’s General Conference in Paris.
The Caribbean nation of St Kitts and Nevis will be represented by its permanent delegate Dr David Doyle.
The ministers met on Wednesday to choose the new co-chairs as well as to discuss priority issues for a meeting convened with Unesco director general Koïchiro Matsuura the same day.
Unesco currently supports the SIDS agenda, as outlined in the 2005 Mauritius Strategy, through both its intersectorial platform for SIDS and the intersectorial platform on climate change.
Three education ministers – Bernard Shamlaye of Seychelles, Carl Bethel of the Bahamas and Matthew Wale of the Solomon Islands – led the discussions with Mr Matsuura to outline innovative policy options and programme support to help the SIDS in their sustainable development.
The need for curriculum reform, strengthening of technical and vocational education in the small island states, and teacher professional development were among the issues they highlighted.
The three ministers called on Unesco to strengthen and better coordinate its efforts to further integrate the Mauritius Strategy into its major programmes.
In line with the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, to be held in December, Mr Shamlaye underscored the need for international efforts to combat climate change to be more ambitious as the very survival of the SIDS is at stake.
And he called on Unesco to strengthen the resources available to the intersectorial platform for SIDS.
Mr Shamlaye stressed the need for Unesco to strengthen its work leading up to the Copenhagen process and also during the conference so as to bring increased focus and support to the concerns of small island states.
He said the issue of climate change should remain a priority on the international agenda after the Copenhagen conference, and specific action should be taken to monitor the progress made by all countries in delivering on their commitments, in raising awareness about the vulnerability of the SIDS, and in securing the necessary financial support to ensure risk-mitigation programmes are carried out effectively.