ALLIANCE OF SMALL ISLAND STATES LEADERS’ DECLARATION 2023

We, the Heads of State and Government of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), meeting
in New York on 22 September 2023, on the margins of the 78th Session of the United Nations
General Assembly:

1. Recall previous AOSIS Leaders’ Declarations adopted on 22 September 2021, 2 September
2014 and 27 September 2012 respectively,
2. Note that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have made progress in achieving sustainable
development, but increasing gaps and challenges impede our development,
3. Remain concerned that multiple global crises and external shocks of the past few years have
decimated the foundations of our SIDS economies and societies, and threaten the livelihoods
of our peoples. We reaffirm that SIDS face unique social environmental and economic
vulnerabilities and remain a special case for sustainable development, with specific needs and
particular circumstances,
4. Reaffirm that the adverse effects of climate change continues to pose the most serious threat
to our sustainable development. The world is far off track to “keep 1.5°C alive”, as clearly and
devastatingly noted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment
Report , and has failed thus far to implement the long-term temperature goal of the Paris
Agreement.
5. Underscore these multiple and overlapping challenges exacerbate our inherent vulnerabilities
and threaten our ability to achieve our sustainable development objectives and are an
existential threat,

And in this context, declare that…

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