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Island nations band together to face existential threat
Representatives of dozens of archipelagic and island nations have pledged solidarity and closer coordination to address climate issues that threaten to wipe them from the map.
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President Joko Widodo (third left) speaks at the plenary session during the first High-Level Meeting of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Oct. 11, 2023. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
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op delegates of 32 archipelagic and island nations have pledged solidarity and closer coordination to address climate issues that threaten to wipe them from the map.
In recent years, nations at a higher risk of suffering from the effects of the climate crisis have sounded the alarm about the threats posed to their very existence, as they seek greater influence in global climate diplomacy.
Indonesia, in leading the first high-level meeting of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum, reiterated that territorial integrity was at stake amid deepening climate woes, and that inclusive cooperation was key to resolving it.
As such, island nations must work together to better voice their concerns and resolve them in the midst of competing global political challenges, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said in a speech to open Wednesday’s meeting.
“The ocean is not a separating body; it is a connecting medium between our different lands,” he told the forum.
“As fellow archipelagic and island nations, and in spite of our differences in size [or] economic status, we all share complex challenges that are interconnected.”
Since Tuesday, representatives from dozens of at-risk nations have converged to discuss potential changes to their maritime territories, create opportunities to collaborate and overcome the challenges to achieve sustainability.
