Building the Data Foundations for the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS: A Strategic Dialogue Through the SDG Data Alliance
- pvblic
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On February 25, 2026, the SDG Data Alliance, an impact program within PVBLIC Foundation, convened a global webinar titled SDG Data Alliance Live: Data Foundations for the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS. The webinar explored how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) can strengthen their data systems to implement the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS). Adopted at the Fourth International Conference on SIDS in May 2024, the ABAS lays out concrete priorities for building resilient prosperity, including improving data collection, analysis, and use.
The aim of the webinar was to showcase how the SDG Data Alliance is supporting the ABAS implementation process - outlining the SIDS Centre of Excellence as an operational platform that integrates data, technology, institutional capacity, and partnerships; presenting the development and initial deployment of the SIDS Global Data Hub and its technology architecture; and then introducing for the first time, SIDS Country Data Hubs and Country Map Portfolios, including live demonstrations of their capabilities and applications.
In this process, the webinar brought together leaders and experts from across the global SIDS and technology community. Moderated by Dr. Greg Scott, Executive Director of the SDG Data Alliance at PVBLIC Foundation, impactful opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Sergio Fernández de Córdova, Executive Chairman of PVBLIC Foundation. Participants then heard individual perspectives from Mrs. Andrena Athill-DaSouza, Communications Advisor for the SIDS Centre of Excellence; Ms. Valerie Desrosier, Solutions Engineer for UN and Global Organizations at Esri; Ms. Mackenzie O’Brien, Technical Consultant at Esri; Ms. Meizyanne Hicks, Fiji Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources; Ms. Andiswa Mlisa, Pacific Community; Ms. Rebecca Newel and Ms. Elena Cutmore, UN-OHRLLS; and Dr. Valrie Grant, Caribbean Market Specialist for Climate and Nature at Fugro and Strategic Geospatial Advisor to the OECS. The session concluded with reflections from Mr. Stephen Keppel, President of PVBLIC Foundation.
From the outset, the webinar made clear why this discussion matters. Small Island States face unique challenges: limited capacity, multiple reporting requirements, and complex global frameworks. Strengthening national data systems is not merely a technical exercise. It is a question of development sovereignty, equipping countries with the tools, architecture, and authority to pursue their priorities with coherence and coordination.
Mr. Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, Executive Chairman of PVBLIC Foundation, emphasized that delivering on ABAS commitments requires more than ambition. “Data sovereignty is inseparable from development sovereignty,” he said, highlighting that SIDS need both the mandate and the infrastructure to turn plans into action.
Building on this vision, Mrs. Andrena Athill-DaSouza, Communications Advisor of the SIDS Centre of Excellence, introduced the SIDS Centre of Excellence (COE). She described it as an operational framework designed to unite data, technology, institutional capacity, and partnerships. Structured around four interconnected pillars, the SIDS Global Data Hub, the Innovation and Technology Mechanism, the Island Investment Forum, and the Debt Sustainability Support Service, the COE represents a bridge from ambition to coordinated delivery. “The Centre of Excellence is designed to move from commitment to coordinated delivery,” she explained.
The session then showcased how this framework takes shape in practice through the SIDS Global Data Hub. Dr. Greg Scott, Executive Director of the SDG Data Alliance, described the Data Hub as a comprehensive environment that provides countries with access to modern data systems, analytical tools, dashboards, applications, and global expertise. He highlighted that SIDS Country Data Hubs are being deployed across the Caribbean, Pacific, and Atlantic–Indian Ocean–South China Sea (AIS) regions, feeding into the Global Data Hub to ensure national to global connectivity. Country Map Portfolios, curated collections of thematic data across social, economic, and environmental pillars, allow nations to organize and visualize information aligned with national priorities. Together, these platforms enable countries to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, close data gaps, and enhance analytical capacity.
Ms. Valerie Desrosier, Solutions Engineer at Esri, and Ms. Mackenzie O’Brien, Technical Consultant at Esri, demonstrated the Data Hub’s capabilities in real time. Attendees saw how countries can organize maps, dashboards, analytics, applications, and data stories within a single national geospatial environment. The demonstration illustrated how these tools translate abstract architecture into practical solutions that support national development priorities.
Perspectives from national, regional, and UN partners reinforced the Global Data Hub’s relevance. Ms. Meizyanne Hicks, Fiji Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources, shared how geospatial systems improve coordination and decision-making across ministries. Ms. Andiswa Mlisa, Pacific Community, highlighted the importance of regional interoperability and shared standards. Ms. Rebecca Newel and Ms. Elena Cutmore, UN-OHRLLS, emphasized that reliable and accessible data is central to monitoring ABAS implementation. Dr. Valrie Grant, Caribbean Market Specialist at Fugro and Strategic Geospatial Advisor to the OECS, illustrated how innovative geospatial solutions advance climate resilience and planning across Caribbean SIDS. Collectively, their insights underscored that the SIDS Global Data Hub is more than a technical platform. It is an instrument for national ownership, collaboration, and evidence-based action.
By the end of the webinar, the story was clear. Strengthening the implementation of ABAS is not about producing more reports. It is about coherence, ownership, and partnership. The SIDS Centre of Excellence and the SIDS Global Data Hub provide the architecture, tools, and collaborative framework that SIDS need to turn their ambitions into measurable, resilient outcomes. In a world of complex global frameworks, these platforms ensure that island nations can act decisively on their priorities, guided by data that is accessible, reliable, and sovereign.
To explore the platforms and initiatives discussed during the webinar, please visit:
SDG Data Alliance: sdg.org
SIDS Centre of Excellence: sidscentreofexcellence.org
SIDS Global Data Hub: sids.sdg.org
PVBLIC Foundation: pvblic.org
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