麻豆传媒

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the world's smallest and most isolated countries, facing unique social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities and constraints. Their small size and undiversified economic structures, often concentrated on tourism and commodity exports, exposes them to external economic shocks and the effects of climate change. To strengthen their economic resilience, it is essential to diversify their economies and develop the private sector, in particular the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that form the backbone of their economies. MSMEs play a crucial role not only in job creation, but also in innovation and the integration of emerging technologies, thus contributing to more inclusive and sustainable growth.

Against this backdrop, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) calls on the international community to actively support the creation of enabling environments for private investment, entrepreneurship and business development. This call to action is particularly relevant given that SIDS often face structural challenges such as limited access to finance, high infrastructure costs, significant debt burdens, and geographical remoteness from global markets. These factors hinder private sector development and limit their integration into the global economy, making international capital less accessible. Much of the literature also highlights the importance of public-private partnerships, digital technologies and regional integration in overcoming these challenges, enabling SIDS to take advantage of economies of scale and diversify their sources of economic growth.

This report aims to offer a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the business environment in the SIDS, providing a solid basis for the formulation of targeted economic and development policies. By highlighting the specific features and challenges of these states, it is hoped that this analysis will contribute to a better integration of the SIDS into the global economy, and to the realization of their development potential.

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