UNITED NATIONS, September 12 (IPS) – The annual United Nations Day for South-South Cooperationcommemorated annually on 12 September, serves as a powerful reminder of the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that transcends geographical boundaries — a spirit that is crucial to securing a better and prosperous future for all. In a world facing cross-cutting challenges, the importance of this South-South solidarity cannot be overstated.
We are now at a critical juncture in our journey towards Agenda 2030. Unfortunately, our progress is far from satisfactory. Only 17 percent of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are on track to be achieved. Nearly half of the goals show minimal or moderate progress, and alarmingly, progress on more than a third has stagnated or even regressed.
These numbers are not just any numbers; they represent the lives, the future and the hopes of billions of people around the world.
The global landscape is increasingly characterised by rising conflicts, escalating geopolitical and trade tensions, and the devastating impacts of climate change. These challenges have put the SDGs at serious risk, and it is the world’s most vulnerable populations who bear the burden of these crises. In this context, the potential of South-South and triangular cooperation to catalyse progress towards the SDGs has never been more crucial.
As we look ahead to the Summit of the Future, the commemoration of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation offers us a good opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made together through this modality. More importantly, it forces us to recognize the enormous potential that South-South cooperation has to build a fairer and more sustainable future.
South-South cooperation is no longer an afterthought; it is now widely recognised as a powerful tool for promoting inclusive growth, mutual learning and shared success.
In developing countries, we are witnessing remarkable strides in resilience building, innovation and collaboration. These achievements demonstrate that by mobilizing international solidarity and forging global partnerships through South-South and triangular cooperation, we can accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.
This potential has been highlighted in countless global discussions and summits, both within the United Nations and beyond. Whether the focus is on least developed countries, small island developing states, middle-income countries, water or trade, the message is clear: South-South cooperation delivers results.
We see tremendous successes in the South, from improving health systems and increasing agricultural productivity to advancing education and technology.
Think of the Republic of Congo, which is calling on Brazil’s expertise in family farming and school feeding programs to improve food security and nutrition. Or Cuba, where medical professionals have been on the front lines, battling disease in the south.
In the Pacific, UNESCO facilitates exchanges between countries such as Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to build teacher capacity. These are just a few examples of how countries in the Global South are not only sharing knowledge and resources, but also building sustainable partnerships that transcend borders.
The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) plays a critical role in promoting, coordinating and supporting these efforts globally and within the UN system. Our work includes identifying synergies and promoting cooperation among partners to achieve all internationally agreed development goals.
One of the most important tools we have developed in this endeavor is the South-South Galaxy — a digital platform that offers more than 950 SDG good practices developed in the Global South. These practices are available for all countries to share and scale up, creating a wealth of knowledge that has lifted millions of people out of poverty and contributed to a fairer world.
The South-South and Triangular Collaboration Solutions Labhosted on the same platform, is another innovative initiative. This Lab has begun incubating and testing scalable South-South and triangular collaboration solutions, driving new ways to address the complex challenges we face.
Us South-South Trust Funds are another testament to the solidarity of Southern partners. For example, the Indian government has channeled over $55.5 million into 63 projects supporting sustainable development in over 30 small island developing states through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.
Likewise, the IBSA Fund — supported by India, Brazil and South Africa — continues to harness the proven power of South-South and triangular cooperation to make tangible improvements in the daily lives of people around the world. From providing safe drinking water to 12,000 people in Cape Verde to developing a national universal health insurance program in Grenada, these initiatives demonstrate the impact of collective efforts.
Triangular cooperation – where South-South cooperation is supported by a developed country or multilateral organisation – also plays a crucial role. For example, the Republic of Korea and the Mekong River Commission are working together to share scientific and technological know-how and implement the water, food and energy nexus for vulnerable communities in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Later this year, we will launch a dedicated Triangular Cooperation Window to optimize this support modality and enhance the exchange of experiences between partners.
Despite these achievements, we recognize that much work remains to be done. We are navigating a world shaped by new and complex global challenges — what some have called a polycrisis.
Climate change, economic uncertainties, debt injustice, conflicts and the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to test our resilience. Yet I remain confident that through South-South and triangular cooperation, we can turn these challenges into opportunities for transformative, just change.
On this United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, I call on all stakeholders — including governments, our UN family, civil society, academia and the private sector — to join hands to strengthen South-South cooperation. Let us commit to expanding partnerships, deepening our collaborations and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Together, we can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and create a future that is prosperous, inclusive and sustainable for all.
Join us!
Dima Al Khatib is the Director of the United Nations Office for South-South CooperationShe assumed her duties as Director of UNOSSC on 1 March 2023. She is a sustainable development professional and brings to her role more than 25 years of leadership and management experience in various capacities.
Prior to joining UNOSSC, Ms. Al-Khatib was the UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova. Before that, she held various positions, including Programme and Policy Coordinator at the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kuwait and UNDP Deputy Country Director in Libya.
Ms. Al-Khatib holds a Diplome d’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in Environmental Health from the Lebanese University and the French University of Bordeaux II, and a Bachelor of Science and a Teaching Diploma in Environmental Health from the American University of Beirut. Dima Al-Khatib tweets at @dimaalkhatib1
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