[Check against delivery]

Excellencies,

I deliver this statement on behalf of the Executive Director of UNOPS, Jorge Moreira da Silva, who could not be in New York at this time.

As the operational arm of the United Nations, UNOPS supports Small Island Developing States across regions to overcome their inherent challenges including smallness, geographic remoteness, and vulnerability to climate change which are significantly limiting their development potentials.

From planning - using advanced tools such as the National Infrastructure Systems Model developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, to project execution and management, UNOPS builds infrastructure in key sectors including land and maritime transport, renewable energy, water, healthcare, trade and early warning systems while also providing sustainable procurement services, strengthening national capacities and expanding local private sector and employment.

We provide fund and grant management expertise to support SIDS to design and manage single or multi-donor funds, or access grants for climate and environmental action such as GCF Readiness Grants and the Small Grants Programme under GEF and stand ready to join the financing compact proposed in the zero draft of the Outcome Document.

We are present in early recovery with the provision of emergency procurement and infrastructure support, and we help capture post-event data for loss and damage claims using the latest asset management tools.

Following the decision of the Parties at COP28, UNOPS jointly with UNDRR hosts the Santiago Network Secretariat to assist the Advisory Board in operationalizing the climate justice agenda and the management of the Loss and Damage Fund in the interest of countries most affected including SIDS.

In response to the request received from SIDS, UNOPS has devoted assistance to the preparatory process of the 4th International Conference including financial resources, and brokered a series of partnerships that will be instrumental in the establishment of the Center of Excellence and the Global Data Hub for SIDS, which according to Resolution 78/232 are to be launched at SIDS4 later this year. We look forward to joining the Center with our training and capacity building programmes of high relevance to SIDS.

In line with the reform agenda of the UN Secretary-General and the recommendations of the MCO Review, UNOPS stands committed to assisting UN Country Teams covering SIDS to improve delivery and efficiency including through Common Back Offices across MCOs.

Recognizing that the next 10 years will be vital for SIDS to avoid the worst impacts of climate change including biodiversity loss and mass migration, UNOPS alongside UN Country Teams stands ready to help SIDS undergo key transformations including climate adaptation, ocean management, digitalization and smart development for a safer future for all their people and their nature.

I thank you.