São Tomé and Príncipe urges UN to link vulnerability index to concessional finance

Elisa Maria Dos Santos Amado Vaza, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of São Tomé and Príncipe, told the United Nations General Assembly that small island developing states need predictable and accessible climate finance to respond to mounting losses from climate change. "We call for the multi-dimensional vulnerability index to be translated into concrete eligibility criteria for concessional financing," she said.

Vaza said her country's limited institutional capacity must not be a barrier to accessing instruments intended to support vulnerable states. She urged the "full operationalization of the fund for responding to loss and damage" and called for simpler, more effective access to the Green Climate Fund to help implement NDCs and national adaptation plans. The minister also noted that São Tomé and Príncipe's recent graduation to middle-income status requires transition measures to consolidate development gains and shield the country from external shocks.