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By Perks Master Ligoya, Ambassador of Malawi, and Paul Akiwumi, Director for Africa and Least Developed Countries, UNCTAD

Small island nations are taking on water in the form of a vicious debt trap damaging their productivity and ability to recover from disasters and other structural constraints. UNCTAD warns the situation is unsustainable and requires urgent global attention.

The island nation seeks to overcome the challenges on its development path to sustain the spectacular economic growth it has achieved in recent years.

Planned joint initiatives will improve the ability of countries in the Pacific to better tackle challenges such as climate change and pandemics such as COVID-19.

The global tourism standstill due to COVID-19 has cost the sector dearly, especially in countries heavily reliant on it, like small island nations. A new UN report maps how tourism could be rebuilt.

Small island nations face an existential and developmental threat from ship-source pollution endangering their vulnerable marine ecosystems and ocean economies. An effective international legal regime can help.

Written by Pamela Coke-Hamilton, UNCTAD Director of International Trade and Commodities

The increasingly unsustainable use of marine resources for economic activities has hurt the health of our oceans, seas and coasts. Governments and businesses have the opportunity to turn the tide and make blue economy sectors more "green" in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

Written by By Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Director, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD

UNCTAD supports efforts to promote sustainability, adapt and build resilience against the climate emergency.