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Honourable Ministers,
Director General Gerd Mueller,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,
It is a pleasure to join UNIDO to co-organize this important event and I thank Director-General Gerd Müller for his strong commitment to the SIDS agenda.
I thank Austria for its steadfast commitment to the countries in special situations, including SIDS. The focus on these countries in this Forum is so timely.
Last November, at UNIDO’s General Conference in Riyadh, we welcomed the high-level event on sustainable industrialization in SIDS, and the launch of UNIDO’s SIDS Strategy for 2026-2034.
These efforts align with the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS – the ABAS – our shared ten-year blueprint for resilient island economies. 
Excellencies,
The SIDS remain heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels, exposing them to price volatility, supply disruptions, and fragile systems. 
Yet, despite these constraints, SIDS are demonstrating leadership.
They are actively advancing cleaner, more resilient, and more decentralized energy systems – often at the forefront of innovation in renewable energy and climate resilience.
This leadership is clear.
What is now required is for the international community to match this ambition with timely and sustained support.
Allow me to offer three reflections in this regard.
First – We must approach climate resilience through a multi-sectoral lens.
In SIDS, resilience cannot be built in silos.
Energy is not a standalone sector; it underpins food systems, water security, tourism, and the competitiveness of emerging industries.
For SIDS, delivering on their Nationally Determined Contributions therefore depends on scaling up clean energy across these sectors – so that climate action translates into real, economy-wide resilience and growth.
The blue economy, in particular, offers a significant opportunity – where integrating clean energy into ocean-based sectors can unlock new pathways for sustainable growth and resilience.  
Second – we must remove barriers to a just and inclusive transition.
SIDS have made notable progress. Between 2014 and 2024, installed renewable energy capacity in SIDS nearly tripled – reaching approximately 9.4 gigawatts. 
But progress remains uneven, and infrastructure alone is not enough.
A just transition must invest in people – through workforce development, support for women and local communities, and stronger STEM education and innovation ecosystems. SIDS must be enabled not only to adopt technology, but to shape and lead it.
Third – we must get financing and partnerships right.
Income per capita does not reflect the structural vulnerabilities of SIDS – their economies are repeatedly exposed to climate shocks, high debt burdens and limited fiscal space.
The Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), adopted by the UNGA last year, is an important step forward. 
We encourage IFIs and MDBs to integrate it into their frameworks. 
However, improved measurement alone will not unlock investment.
Bankability and the cost of capital remain major bottlenecks.
Sixty-three percent of additional renewable capacity commitments in SIDS NDCs are conditional.
In practical terms, delivering these commitments will require at least US$6.1 billion by 2035 –of which around $4.2 billion will need to come from international financing.
At the same time, available finance remains highly concentrated. 
Public clean energy finance is highly concentrated. 
Grants and equity – critical for early-stage project preparation and risk mitigation – are still limited.
Addressing these gaps require a stronger enabling ecosystem: guarantees, insurance, standardized contracts, and grid modernization – tools that convert ambitions into investments. 
That is precisely where targeted platforms can play a catalytic role. The SIDS Centre of Excellence, a flagship ABAS initiative, is being operationalized by Antigua and Barbuda with support from my Office – to help bridge these gaps – linking finance, technology, and locally driven solutions. 
Similarly, the upcoming SIDS Global Business Network Forum in the Maldives this August provides an important opportunity to connect investors with bankable projects and unlock new pathways for sustainable growth.
Excellencies,
SIDS are already demonstrating leadership – through action, innovation, and commitment. The task before us is to ensure that the global system response with equal urgency, coherence and scale.
We must translate our collective commitments into tangible results on the ground.
My Office remains fully committed to advancing the SIDS agenda – in partnership with UNIDO, SIDS governments, and all stakeholders.
Thank you.