THE twin-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is set to host the 2025 Global Sustainable Islands Summit (GSIS) this week, positioning itself at the forefront of global conversations on sustainable development in island communities. Co-hosted in partnership with Island Innovation, this year’s summit is shaping up to be the most ambitious to date, drawing over 300 delegates from across the world.

The GSIS, which rotates annually among island nations, brings together international leaders, policy-makers, private sector stakeholders, and development partners to explore innovative pathways for long-term sustainable economic growth. Following previous editions in Madeira, Portugal and Prince Edward Island, Canada, the spotlight now turns to the Caribbean.

The summit officially opens on May 27 at the Marriott Resort in Frigate Bay, but key activities begin earlier with the Island Youth Forum (May 25–26), aimed at empowering young islanders to take active roles in shaping their future. On May 26, attention shifts to Nevis for the Geothermal Forum, and on May 30, the First Forum on Access to Climate Finance for Sub-National Island Jurisdictions will also take place at Malcolm Guishard Park, underscoring the growing urgency of climate financing for island resilience.

Island Innovation CEO, James Ellsmoor, welcomed the strong international response. “The response and interest we have received for this year’s summit has been incredible,” he said. “Our attendees, sponsors, and partners are eager to engage with St. Kitts and Nevis’ Sustainable Island State Agenda and learn from the solutions being pioneered here. The Federation is a beacon of Caribbean excellence.”

This enthusiasm is reflected in the summit’s robust lineup of sponsors and partners. Global supporters include UNICEF, Sustainable Travel International, Our Shared Ocean (Ireland), Indoor Vertical Farm (Netherlands), Ormat Technologies, ABB Group, and various United Nations bodies such as Youth4Capacity and UN Global Compact.

Local and regional institutions are also actively backing the summit, including the Caribbean Development Bank, CARICOM Development Fund, Caribbean Energy Chamber, Sunrise Airways, and the St. Christopher and Nevis Conservation Foundation. Strategic partnerships with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Government of Curaçao, and the Cabinet of the Special Envoy for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba further reflect the summit’s global scope.

The GSIS speaker roster features high-level figures from governments, academia, and international organisations, including: H.E. Lady Alida Francis, Governor of Sint Eustatius;
Hon. Albert Bryan Jr., Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands; Hon. Chris Lee, State Senator, Hawaii; Hon. Cozier Frederick, Dominica’s Minister for Environment; Hon. Bremity Lakjohn, Minister of Environment, Marshall Islands; Selwin Hart, UN Special Adviser for Climate Action; Rebecca Fabrizi, UK Envoy to SIDS; UnaMay Gordon, Senior Climate Change Expert, IIED; Vanessa Toré, Director, Ministry of Economic Development, Curaçao; Dr. Mohammad Rafik Nagdee, Executive Director, CCREEE; Dr. Stefano Moncada, Director, Islands and Small States Institute, University of Malta; Dr. Pepukaye Bardouille, Special Advisor, Barbados PM’s Office; Lavern McFarlane, Senior Economist, CARICOM Development Fund; and Narendra Ramgulam, Sustainable Tourism Consultant, CTO.

The 2025 GSIS promises to serve not only as a forum for sharing solutions but also as a launching pad for bold partnerships, new policy directions, and a renewed commitment to sustainable island futures.

More information about the summit, including detailed agendas and speaker bios, is available at: https://islandinnovation.co/events/global-sustainable-islands-summit/