BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts, May 27, 2025 (SKNIS) – A powerful and inspiring scene unfolded this morning, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort as the 2025 edition of the Global Sustainable Islands Summit (GSIS) officially commenced. The landmark two-day event has brought together government leaders, policy-makers, global investors, and, most importantly, youth changemakers to engage in critical dialogue on the escalating climate crisis and other existential challenges confronting small island developing states (SIDS).
This unique forum serves as a vital platform for small islands to not only be heard, but to lead. From rising sea levels to economic vulnerability, island nations are on the frontlines of climate change, and Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, made it clear in his address that they must also be at the forefront of the global response.
“The Global Sustainable Islands Summit 2025 serves as a clarion call to rethink, to reimagine, and to re-forge our shared destiny as island nations facing the defining challenges of our generation,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew. “The climate is changing, seas are rising, and economies are transforming, and in the midst of it all, our people on islands, large or small, are calling on us to lead and to act.”
The opening ceremony featured dynamic presentations by passionate youth leaders from the May 25–26 Island Youth Forum, alongside powerful contributions from Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Action, Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke, and Premier of Nevis, the Honourable Mark Brantley.
In his keynote remarks, Prime Minister Dr. Drew emphasised that while SIDS face disproportionate risks, they are also centres of innovation, resilience, and bold leadership.
“While our landmass may be modest, our vision is vast,” the prime minister declared. “We gather here not as isolated dots on the map, but as constellations of islands and countries united by history, resilience, and a shared determination to chart a new course for our people and planet.”
Dr. Drew also underscored the importance of inclusion, equity, and meaningful collaboration in global climate governance.
“For too long, small island developing states like ours have been invited to the table late—if at all—and hardly to ever speak in the mic,” he asserted. “Too often, our stories are footnotes, our data are averages, and our innovations are overlooked. But we know, and the world is beginning to recognise, that islands are not just the periphery—we are the pulse. We are on the front lines of climate change. But, and I dare say, we are also on the front line of solutions.”
As climate change continues to pose an existential threat, Prime Minister Dr. Drew stressed that gatherings like GSIS are not just important—they are imperative. He added that small island states, through their innovation, lived experience, and consistent advocacy, are illuminating the path to a more sustainable and climate-resilient future for all.
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