Day 2 - Tuesday, September 19, 2023
7:00–8:00 AM
Registration
8:00–8:45 AM
Breakfast Roundtable*
8:45–9:00 AM
Coffee Break
9:00–9:45 AM
High Level Roundtable: Maritime Security and Seabed Mining*
The transition away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy has increased demand for mining of precious metals and resources. At the center is the prospect of seabed mining to extract minerals from the ocean floor. As island nations are at an impasse, weighing the projected impacts, costs, and opportunities, what lies ahead for seabed mining in terms of governance, regulations, and impact to the states and the region at large?
9:45–10:00 AM
Coffee Break
10:00–11:15 AM
High Level Roundtable: Islands & Digital Transformation*
For many countries, the promise of government and economic transformation through digitalization is tempered by a growing list of cyber, informational, and data-related hazards. For island nations, these are compounded by connectivity difficulties along with increasingly attendant geopolitical pressures. This discussion will address the prospects and challenges of digitalization from the perspective of small island nations, as well as the range of capacities needed to meet their distinct priorities and contexts.
11:15 AM–12:00 PM
High Level Roundtable: Blue Economy & Climate Action*
The blue economy is a critical sector for economic growth for small island nations, which rely on the development of a sustainable ocean economy. As climate change poses pressing existential challenges for island states, what can nations do to build their blue economy? And what climate action must take place to mitigate climate fallout and ensure regional resilience?
12:00–1:00 PM
Lunch