Maldives to Host UN Forum Launching New Global Investment Platform for Island Nations

The Maldives will host the United Nations SIDS Global Business Network (SIDS-GBN) Forum 2026 in Malé from August 23 to 25. The event will mark the first time the Maldives has hosted the biennial gathering. It will also launch the Island Investment Forum (IIF), a new global platform meant to channel investment into small island states.

The forum is organized by the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), in collaboration with the Government of Maldives and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, according to UN-OHRLLS.

The combined event will support the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) by connecting the priorities of small island developing states (SIDS) with businesses and investors, UN-OHRLLS said. It brings together the partnership and business focus of the SIDS-GBN with the investment orientation of the new IIF into a single platform for dialogue, business engagement, project showcasing and follow-up.

What the Island Investment Forum Does

The IIF is a new pillar of the SIDS Centre of Excellence (SIDS CoE). It is designed to mobilize investment, strengthen partnerships and unlock sustainable development opportunities across SIDS, according to the SIDS CoE.

As part of the Malé forum, organizers will run a curated marketplace to showcase investment ready projects from SIDS. The marketplace is meant to connect entrepreneurs, governments, investors and development partners, the SIDS CoE said.

Registration for the forum opened earlier this year and closed on July 24, 2026, according to the SIDS CoE website. The organizers describe the expected attendees as leaders from the public and private sectors, international organizations, financial institutions and development partners.

Background: A Biennial Gathering

The SIDS-GBN Forum is held every two years. The 2024 edition was held in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, from May 25 to 26, on the margins of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4).

That forum produced recommendations to strengthen the private sector's role in implementing the ABAS. The recommendations covered improving access to finance, advancing digital infrastructure and fostering local innovation, according to UN-OHRLLS.

At the closing session of the 2024 forum, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said SIDS need to draw on private sector investment, expertise and innovation. He said the forum had mobilized the private sector and provided a platform for building partnerships and driving accountability, according to a Commonwealth Secretariat report on the event.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu also addressed the closing ceremony of the 2024 forum. He called on SIDS governments to prioritize enabling environments for entrepreneurs and investors, and said limited and, in some cases, restricted access to affordable financing remains the biggest challenge facing small island states, according to a transcript published by the President's Office. He also referenced a planned 6.5 million dollar loan facility for women entrepreneurs in the Maldives, with a quarter of the fund set aside for women with disabilities.

Thematic Focus

UN-OHRLLS lists six thematic areas under the SIDS-GBN: blue-green economy, community empowerment and local solutions, enabling business environment, financing and investment, digitalization, technology and innovation, and sustainable and inclusive tourism. UN-OHRLLS has said these themes will guide preparation for the 2026 Forum, alongside emerging priorities identified at side events, including green energy, youth participation and digitalization.

Local Angle

The Maldives' role goes beyond hosting. The Government of Maldives is named as a co-organizer of the combined 2026 event alongside UN-OHRLLS and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. The Maldives has also co-organized SIDS-focused UN side events in the past, including sessions on ocean based economies at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, alongside Latvia, Ireland and other partners.