Grenada

Given the fast pace of global socio-economic development, more tailored, focused, and localised efforts to strengthen public sector capacity in small island developing states (SIDS) is increasingly important. SIDS have unique vulnerabilities, rich histories and contexts, and strengths that can be harnessed for sustainable development. Development partners need to adapt how they provide capacity-strengthening support, taking individual SIDS’ circumstances and needs into account to better help them achieve their ambitions. This report summarises perspectives from small island developing states (SIDS) on current experiences and opportunities to improve capacity-strengthening support to make it more tailored, impactful, and sustainable. The report uses the broad definition of capacity-strengthening as activities that improve the competencies and abilities of individuals, organisations, and broader formal and informal social structures in a way that boosts organisational performance. It concentrates on public sector capacity, including interactions with other stakeholders across sectors.

Small island developing states (SIDS) have been acutely affected by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper takes a broader perspective to explore how the revenue effects of this crisis in SIDS are connected to their unique financing and development challenges. It also suggests how SIDS governments and development co-operation providers can better partner together to strengthen mobilisation of domestic revenues – in particular tax revenues – in the recovery post-COVID-19.

Eastern Caribbean countries enjoy rich natural endowments and have achieved significant economic development. Throughout the last decades, they have also been confronted with a number of rising economic, social and environmental challenges. To help them tackle these, and accelerate their development, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the OECD have jointly designed a regional strategy scorecard, which is at the heart of the Development Strategy Assessment of the Eastern Caribbean. The scorecard will help policy makers set priorities for the implementation of the OECS Development Strategy. Stronger resilience and capacity are the major guideposts towards both economic growth and social progress. The region can make much more of its green potential, with power generation topping the list. Improving regulation and reducing red tape can foster new, homegrown economic dynamism. Tourism, digital services and the sustainable ocean economy also offer untapped potential. Closing the skills gap, enhancing the quality of education and improving social protection are essential. Finally, as a red thread throughout, deeper regional integration would make it easier for OECS countries to pool resources in a range of areas, radically increasing the region’s potential for efficient governance, and accelerating the development of its human resources.

Small island developing states (SIDS) are among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, which is disrupting key economic sectors that SIDS’ undiversified and already fragile economies strongly rely upon. While they are succeeding to contain the health emergency, SIDS are faced with severe economic impacts which require bold government action and adequate international support. This policy brief: (i) highlights the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic across SIDS; (ii) provides an overview of the support delivered by development co-operation providers to face the crisis; and (iii) provides suggestions to ensure that international support can lead to a fast and sustainable recovery in SIDS: a ‘blue’ recovery.