10/07/2026 (Agence Europe) – Marie-Aurélie Vernin, a senior official in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), reiterated the European Union’s support for small island developing States (SIDS) at a United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on Thursday 9 July. Ms Vernin stressed that the EU and its Member States remained long-term partners, combining political commitment, sustainable investment and technical cooperation. The official recalled that Team Europe had mobilised around €7.4 billion in official development assistance for SIDS between 2021 and 2024. She also called for capacities, partnerships and funding to be strengthened in order to speed up implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Link to the speech delivered in New York: https://aeur.eu/f/mug (BD)