The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is an intergovernmental coalition of small island and low-lying coastal developing countries. It serves as the primary negotiating voice for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in international climate change, sustainable development, and ocean-related processes, particularly within the United Nations system. It represents the interests of 39 small island and low-lying coastal developing states across the Caribbean, Pacific, and the African, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS) regions in international climate change and sustainable development negotiations.
Purpose and Advocacy
- Climate Action: Lobbies major industrial nations to make deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Temperature Limits: Champions the critical goal of keeping global warming below 1.5°C to prevent catastrophic sea level rise.
- Loss and Damage: Advocates for dedicated financial mechanisms to support vulnerable nations dealing with unavoidable climate impacts.
- Ocean Governance: Focuses heavily on marine health, sea level rise, coastal erosion, and ocean acidification.
Membership Regions
- Caribbean: Includes countries like Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
- Pacific: Includes nations such as Fiji, Samoa, and Tuvalu.
- AIS: Includes regional states like the Maldives, Singapore, and Mauritius
Key Facts About Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
- Established: 1990 (ahead of the Second World Climate Conference)
- Membership: 39 member states (37 UN members + Cook Islands and Niue)
- Headquarters / Operations: Functions primarily through the permanent missions of member states in New York. It has no formal charter, permanent secretariat, or regular budget.
- Current Chair (2025–2026): H.E. Ilana V. Seid, Permanent Representative of Palau to the United Nations
- Official website: aosis.org
Purpose and Mandate of AOSIS
AOSIS was created to amplify the collective voice of countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change yet contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Its core goals include:
- Advocating for ambitious global climate action (especially limiting warming to 1.5°C)
- Securing recognition of the special circumstances of SIDS
- Pushing for adequate climate finance, adaptation support, and loss-and-damage mechanisms
- Promoting sustainable development and ocean conservation
- Ensuring equity and justice in international negotiations
Despite its small size, AOSIS has repeatedly “punched above its weight” in global negotiations.
Membership
AOSIS members span three main regions:
1. Caribbean
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
2. Pacific
Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
3. Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIS)
Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Maldives, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Singapore, Timor-Leste
(Exact listings can vary slightly across sources; the official AOSIS site confirms 39 members.)
Some Commonwealth Programs
- Commonwealth Fund Grant Programs – The Overview Scholars use for Research
- 6 Fellowships Offered by Commonwealth Fund (2026–2027 Cycles) that are Fully Funded Program
- Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellowships: International Opportunity in Health Care Policy and Practice
- Commonwealth Fellowship UK: Applications Open for Fully Funded Academic & Professional Fellowships
- UK Commonwealth Fellowship Now Open for Fully Funded Academic and Professional Opportunity
Structure and Decision-Making
- Operates on the basis of consultation and consensus
- Major policy decisions are taken at ambassadorial-level plenary sessions in New York
- The Chair rotates among the three regional groups
- Highest decision-making body: biannual meetings of Heads of State and Government
Major Achievements
- Strong influence on the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), securing recognition of SIDS’ special vulnerability
- Instrumental in establishing the 1.5°C temperature goal in the Paris Agreement (“1.5 to stay alive”)
- Secured dedicated seats for SIDS on key climate bodies (Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, etc.)
- Continuous advocacy for loss and damage, climate finance, and the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index
- Active engagement on ocean issues, including the BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Agreement
- Issuance of high-level declarations on sea-level rise, statehood, and the special circumstances of SIDS
Current Focus Areas (as of 2025–2026)
- Keeping the 1.5°C target within reach
- Full implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS 2024–2034)
- Operationalisation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for better access to finance
- Climate justice, adaptation, and resilience
- Ocean protection and the BBNJ Agreement
- Plastic pollution and sustainable development
AOSIS remains one of the most effective and morally authoritative voices in global climate and sustainable development negotiations, consistently highlighting that the survival of small island nations is a matter of global justice.
How the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Benefits Small Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing Countries
The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is the primary collective voice for 39 small island and low-lying coastal developing countries in international negotiations. Although these countries contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, they face some of the most severe impacts of climate change. AOSIS turns their individual vulnerability into collective influence. Here’s how it benefits them:
1. Amplifying Their Voice in Global Negotiations
Individually, most SIDS have very small diplomatic missions and limited resources. AOSIS pools their influence so they can negotiate as a unified bloc. This has allowed them to:
- Secure formal recognition of their “special circumstances” in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- Push successfully for the 1.5°C temperature goal in the Paris Agreement (the famous “1.5 to stay alive” campaign).
- Ensure SIDS have dedicated seats on key climate bodies, including the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, and other decision-making structures.
2. Advancing Climate Finance and Support Mechanisms
AOSIS has been instrumental in:
- Advocating for increased climate finance, adaptation funding, and the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund.
- Promoting the use of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index so that access to concessional finance is based on vulnerability rather than just income levels (many SIDS are middle-income and otherwise excluded from cheaper finance).
- Securing better terms and priority access for SIDS in global climate funds.
3. Shaping International Agreements and Policy
Through coordinated positions, AOSIS has influenced major outcomes, including:
- Stronger language on adaptation, resilience, and ocean protection.
- Progress on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement.
- High-level political declarations on sea-level rise, statehood, and the special circumstances of SIDS.
- Continuous pressure to keep 1.5°C within reach and accelerate emissions reductions by major emitters.
4. Building Political Solidarity and Collective Bargaining Power
By operating on consensus, AOSIS enables members to present a united front. This increases their moral and political weight far beyond their size or economic power. Larger countries and negotiating groups must engage with AOSIS because of its coherent and persistent advocacy.
5. Facilitating Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Support
While AOSIS itself has no large permanent secretariat or budget, it:
- Enables peer learning and coordinated strategies among members.
- Partners with organisations (UNDP, European Commission, and others) to strengthen negotiating capacity.
- Supports the alignment of national priorities with international processes (e.g., linking to the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS 2024–2034).
6. Protecting Long-Term Interests
AOSIS continuously highlights existential threats such as sea-level rise, loss of territory, and the legal implications for statehood. This keeps these issues on the global agenda and builds international pressure for stronger action and support.
Overall Impact
Without AOSIS, individual small island and low-lying coastal states would struggle to make their concerns heard in complex, high-stakes negotiations dominated by larger economies. Through AOSIS, they have:
- Achieved concrete policy wins that would have been nearly impossible alone.
- Secured institutional recognition and priority treatment in climate finance and decision-making bodies.
- Maintained a powerful moral and political platform that forces the world to confront the justice dimensions of the climate crisis.
In short, AOSIS multiplies the influence of small island and low-lying coastal developing countries, turning their shared vulnerability into a source of collective strength and tangible benefits in the fight for climate justice and sustainable development.
Chairman of the AOSIS: Palau
H.E. Ilana Seid
Permanent Representative of Palau
PERMANENT MISSION OF PALAU TO THE UNITED NATIONS
409 EAST 50TH STREET, 1ST FLOOR,
NEW YORK, NY 10022
Telephone: +1 (201) 523-6206
Email: MISSION@PALAUUN.ORG
Prominent Members of the Bureau:
Antigua and Barbuda
H.E. Walton A Webson
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda
to the United Nations
305 East 47th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: 212-541-4117
Email: unmission@ab.gov.ag
Cabo Verde
H.E. Ms. Tania Romualdo
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cabo Verde to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cabo Verde to the United Nations
27 East 69th Street
New York, NY 10021
Telephone: 212-472-0333
Email: cvpm.unny@mnec.gov.cv