Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have long pursued unconventional economic development strategies, often with great success. Equally, because of their pronounced susceptibility to exogenous shocks, their progress remains fragile and can be set back suddenly and dramatically, as the Covid-19 crisis and secondary impacts have shown. Successfully exploiting new economic opportunities and sustaining levels of development in the future will require innovation and entrepreneurialism. This policy brief outlines three intersecting routes to creating more favourable international conditions for SIDS’ resilience and sustainable development: revisiting eligibility criteria and improving access to official development assistance; a fairer share of – and improved access to – climate finance; and more debt relief and long-term debt restructuring.