Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for the Environment, Malta
together with the
Islands and Small States Institute of the Foundation for International Studies, University of Malta
in collaboration with the
United Nations Environment Programme
 

THE VALLETTA DECLARATION
ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ISLAND STATES IN
THE INDIAN OCEAN, MEDITERRANEAN AND ATLANTIC 

Valletta, Malta, 27 November 1998
 

We, the Ministers from the small island developing states in the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and Atlantic regions (IMA-SIDS), participating in the meeting on the sustainable development our countries;

Having met in Valletta on the 27 November 1998;

Being concerned about the special problems faced by our small island developing states due especially to their economic fragilities and environmental vulnerabilities;

Recalling:

1. that in Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, emanating from the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, it is asserted that small island developing states are a special case both for environment and development, and that they face special challenges in planning and implementing sustainable development;
 
2. that the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS Programme of Action), approved during the 1994 UN Global Conference held in Barbados, identified the priority areas for action to address the special challenges faced by SIDS;
 
3. that during the Barbados Global Conference and in many subsequent international fora on the sustainable development of SIDS, it was established that small island developing states merit special consideration in view of a number of factors, including small economic size, insularity, remoteness, proneness to natural disasters, fragile ecosystems, vulnerability to global warming, and limited natural resources;
 
4. that the ad hoc expert group on Vulnerability Indices, which met in New York in December 1997, concluded  that “as a group, SIDS are more vulnerable than other groups of developing countries”;
 
5. that the final statement of the UNEP workshop on Water, Coastal and Marine Resources, held in Malta in December 1997, asserted that to achieve sustainable development, decision-making in SIDS should be founded on scientifically-based reference points with due consideration for the social, cultural, economic, ecological and political aspects,  supported by effectively implemented regulations, and that a suitable approach towards this end would be  the “Island Systems Management” which recognises the interactions and interdependent nature of the various systems on the island;
 
6. that the Mahe Declaration, which was approved during the meeting of African SIDS in July 1998, identified a number of priority areas for the sustainable development of African SIDS, which SIDS constitute the majority of states represented at the present Conference.
 

Affirm that:

1. we are committed to the principles embodied in Agenda 21 and the SIDS Programme of Action, which we consider to be the best framework within which sustainable development can be operationalised, at the national, regional and international levels;
 
2. we recognise that the priority areas identified in the African SIDS Programme of Action, adopted during the Ministerial Meeting of African SIDS held in Seychelles in July 1998,  are also relevant to IMA-SIDS;
 
3. we recognise also that good management should be scientifically-based, that policies intended to promote sustainable development should take into account the social, cultural, economic, ecological and political dimension of development, and that in a small territory all systems are  interrelated and interdependent;
 
4. we recognise further that there are important advantages associated with the adoption of a co-ordinated approach across states, especially with regard to polices and measures which have inter-country causes and effects, and that these advantages arise inter alia as a result of better utilisation of human resources, reaping of economies of scale, and joint action to meet common challenges;
 
5. in addition, we recognise that co-ordinated approaches between SIDS in international fora, strengthen the bargaining power of SIDS in negotiations with donor countries and international organisations;
 
6. we consider that the donors’ and SIDS representatives roundtable and the seventh session of the Commission for Sustainable Development, scheduled for 1999, are events of major importance for SIDS and could make significant contributions towards the attainment  of the objectives of the UNCED (1992) and the 1994 Global Conference for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
 
7. we recognise the importance of the two-day special session of the General Assembly to be held  in New York in September 1999, for a full and comprehensive review and appraisal of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Islands Developing States.

Declare that we will:

At the national level:
 
1. further promote an awareness, amongst our people, of the principles embodied in Agenda 21 and SIDS Programme of Action with regard to sustainable development, and encourage information flows for this purpose, and that towards this end we shall strive to as much as possible enlist the support of all stakeholders, at every level of society, in our respective country;
 
2. try to minimise the negative environmental impacts, including pollution and generation of waste, emanating from economic activities such as tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and mining and to maximise sustainable practices which in the long run will be conducive towards environmental as well as economic well being;
 
3. undertake to promote science and technology, with the aim of developing and increasing the use of environmentally friendly and clean technologies, foster scientific understanding, and, when possible, integrate traditional knowledge with contemporary advancements;
 
4. promote human resources development, recognising that human beings should take centre stage in sustainable development policies and measures, by, amongst other things,  strengthening the national educational and training facilities;
 
5. strive develop capacity building to address the issues of concern to IMA-SIDS;
 
6. take steps to upgrade our environmental legislation and strengthen its enforcement, recognising that sustainable development is not likely to be attained by economic instruments alone, and recognising also that such legislation should have the support and involvement of all social groups, including women, youth, senior citizens, NGOs and other stakeholders;
 
7. improve our monitoring and reporting processes, through the development of appropriate tools such as indicators, so as to assess the extent to which our country is abiding with the principles embodied in Agenda 21 and the SIDS Programme of Action.

At the regional level :

1. develop operational methods of promoting regional co-operation, through appropriate institutions, including the establishment of IMA-SIDS’ focal points in each country and formulate regional programme and strategies, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of each member state in the region;
 
2. establish organisational set-ups to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the implementation of the SIDS Programme of Action, with the aim of taking common approaches in regional matters and to conduct joint representation at regional and international fora;
 
3. promote regional technical co-operation, by encouraging the formation of networks, exchange of information, involving research institutes and Universities, and facilitating the movement of scientists and other experts between the SIDS in the region;
 
4. promote increased co-operation in civil aviation, shipping and telecommunications between SIDS in the region;
 
5. support and seek cooperation with regional pollution prevention and priority action programmes for the environment;
 
6. support joint marketing and training programmes in economic areas of interest to SIDS in the region, particularly tourism.

At the international level:

1. support the endeavour of intergovernmental organisations dealing with climate change and sea level rise;
 
2. support AOSIS in its important role in formulating a collective position for SIDS in international fora, in particular those where international instruments are negotiated;
 
3. act in a co-ordinated manner and take collective positions in international fora which have a major impact on economic well-being of SIDS, including the WTO and the World Bank;
 
4. support the development of SIDSnet, which we consider to be an important source of information for the promotion and monitoring of  sustainable development;
 
5. support the construction of a vulnerability index, which we consider to be an important tool for highlighting the fact that SIDS merit special consideration in view of their exposure to forces outside their control, hindering their sustainable development, and acknowledge the important role that Malta has played in the development of the Vulnerability Index.

We declare also that we shall do our best to implement the national actions, policies and measures listed in the SIDS Programme of Action, keeping in mind that both Agenda 21 and the SIDS Programme of Action state that governments will be primarily responsible for the implementation of the polices and measures to promote their sustainable development, acknowledging, at the same time, that we will be constrained in implementing these challenges without the cooperation and assistance of the international community;
 

Call upon:
 
1. the UN Commission for Sustainable Development to take cognisance of the IMA-SIDS position paper approved at the Malta conference on 27 November 1998, and request the Commission to urge donor countries and UN organs to facilitate its implementation;
 
2. the United Nations and its organs, including UNCTAD, UNDP and UNEP to continue providing policy guidelines, organising capacity building, and carry out research and analyses for the promotion of sustainable development of SIDS, and where appropriate to strengthen their SIDS focal points, established in line with article 128 of the SIDS Programme of Action;
 
3. the international community to supplement the national and regional efforts by effective financial support, to, amongst other things, facilitate our ability to build the infrastructure, enhance human and institutional capacity building, and facilitate transfer of environmentally sound technologies; 
 
4. international economic and trade organisations, such as the World Bank and WTO, to take account of the special disabilities of SIDS and of the negative effects on SIDS arising from the processes of trade liberalisation and globalisation, especially those associated with the removal of preferential trade arrangements.
 The Valletta Declaration

Signed at Valletta, Malta, on 27 November 1998, on behalf of the Governments:
 
 
 

_____________________________ _____________________________
Khalid M. FAKHRO  José António PINTO MONTEIRO
State of Bahrain Republic of Cape Verde 
 
 
 

_____________________________ _____________________________
Youssouf HAMADI  Antonis ANTONIOU
Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros  Republic of Cyprus 
 
 
 

_____________________________ _____________________________
ALPHONSE     Francis ZAMMIT DIMECH
Republic of Madagascar Republic of Malta
 
 
 
 

_____________________________ _____________________________
Jogeeswar SEEWOOBADUTH  Martinho TAVARES
Republic of Mauritius     Democratic Republic of   
 Sao Tomé and Príncipe
 
 

_____________________________
Alain BUTLER-PAYETTE
Republic of Seychelles