Basseterre, Saint Kitts, May 27th, 2025 (PMO) – Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, officially opened the 2025 Global Sustainable Island Summit (GSIS) this morning, May 27th, with a bold declaration that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are not merely victims of the climate crisis, but innovators and drivers of global sustainability solutions.
Delivering his remarks at the summit’s opening ceremony, Prime Minister Drew welcomed hundreds of delegates from around the world with the declaration, “Welcome to Paradise!” But he quickly transitioned to the serious purpose of the convening, noting, “I welcome you to conversations and discussions that I believe will shape the future of island nations around the globe.”
Underscoring the urgency of the moment, Prime Minister Drew stated, “We gather here not as isolated dots on the map, but as a constellation of islands and countries united by history, resilience, and a shared determination to chart a new course for our people and our planet.”
The Summit, now in its third edition, is being hosted in St. Kitts and Nevis for the first time. The Prime Minister recalled his participation at the 2024 Summit in Prince Edward Island, Canada, which inspired the Federation’s bold move to bring the international dialogue home to the Caribbean. “The seed was planted for what we now witness blooming here in the Caribbean—an island summit hosted by an island nation, for island people, with global consequence,” he said.
Prime Minister Drew emphasized that the decision to host the Summit is a continuation of the nation’s commitment to its Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA). “SISA is not a slogan, it is a framework that touches every part of our national life,” he affirmed. “It pushes us to build smarter homes, power our country with the sun, tap into the geothermal energy beneath our soil, and teach our children not just how to succeed in the world, but how to sustain it.”
At the heart of his address was a call for global unity, solidarity, and action, especially among island states that often bear the brunt of climate change impacts. “Islands are not the periphery,” Dr. Drew declared. “We are the pulse, we are the frontlines of climate change… but, and I dare say, we are also the frontlines of the solutions.”
The Prime Minister also issued a challenge to participants: “Let us leave here with more than good intentions. Let us leave with projects, partnerships, and policies. Let us build a new multilateralism grounded in empathy, science, and practical solidarity.”
In closing, Prime Minister Drew invoked a powerful image of global island solidarity: “The ocean may separate us, but it also connects us. We are islands… scattered, but not divided. We are many, but we are one—one community of purpose, one family of islands, one movement for sustainability and resilience.”
The Global Sustainable Island Summit 2025 continues throughout the week with high-level discussions, technical exchanges, and collaboration on key issues such as renewable energy, climate financing, ocean conservation, food and water security, and sustainable urban planning.
End
