Economic Recovery & Resilience
Islands are particularly vulnerable to the economic impacts of COVID-19 due to their geographic isolation, supply chain disruption, and drop in tourism activity. This discussion examines tools and methods adopted by islands to address the health and stability of their people in both the immediate and long term.
Key Takeaways
Speakers highlighted the necessity and opportunity to diversify economies over time, and to manage their tourism in a way that better benefits residents. Among other suggestions was retooling health care and the education sector, to address inequalities in access.
Best practices for reopening include establishing clear priorities and goals for each stage of the recovery for engaging stakeholders, increasing monitoring and testing, ensuring transparency, basing decision making on facts, using national and global best practices, considering a wide range of funding sources and focusing on a need for speed.
Islands can seize this opportunity by investing in broadband infrastructure, training and retooling for the digital economy and strengthening cybersecurity. It is critical to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2014 UN Samoa Pathway, which recognizes that SIDS are particularly vulnerable to external shocks and highlights the importance of commitments to support island sustainability and partnerships.