Pledging Together For A Better Tomorrow On United Nations Day For South-South Cooperation 2024

South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Hyderabad: The International Day of South-South Cooperation, held annually on 12 September, offers an opportunity for members to reaffirm the value and benefits offered by South-South cooperation. Through South-South collaboration, developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise, and resources to meet their development goals.

History

The first International Day for South-South Cooperation was observed in 2011. To highlight the importance of South-South cooperation, the General Assembly in its resolution 58/220 decided to observe the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation on 12 September every year. The date commemorates the adoption in 1978 of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (BAPA).

Theme of the year

This UN office is in charge of promoting the International Day of South-South Cooperation, which this year shares the theme "A better tomorrow through South-South Cooperation."

It is a chance to assess advancements and emphasize both opportunities and challenges for cooperation between countries in the Global South, along with new trends. During United Nations Day week, there will be a chance to highlight significant South-South collaboration actions and initiatives by Member States, the UN System, the private sector, and civil society in tackling the most urgent goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is a chance to delve further into different regions and examine the advancement of South-South cooperation in achieving regional and global objectives, aiming to pave the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

South-South Cooperation

South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. South-South cooperation is done through a broad framework of collaboration among countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains. Involving two or more developing countries, it can take place on a bilateral, regional, intraregional or interregional basis. Through South-South collaboration, developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts. Boosting this collaborative spirit, the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), promotes and facilitates South-South and triangular cooperation for development on a global and United Nations system-wide basis.

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation

The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation celebrates the economic, social and political developments made in recent years by regions and countries in the South and highlights the United Nations' efforts to work on technical cooperation among developing countries.

South-South Cooperation is a partnership between developing countries to share resources, skills, and expertise to achieve their development goals.

The motto of South-South Cooperation includes:

1. Help developing countries become more independent by boosting their ability to create solutions use technology to solve their problems and make plans to do so.
2. Encourage developing countries to work together by sharing knowledge and experiences, leading to a deeper understanding of shared issues and broader access to existing knowledge.
3. Acknowledge and address the issues and needs of the most vulnerable nations, nations with landlocked borders, small island nations, and those most severely impacted by natural disasters and other emergencies, and support their increased involvement in global economic activities.
4. Expand and improve global development collaboration by combining resources to enhance the impact of these collaborations.
5. South-South Cooperation values the independence of each participating country and aims to strengthen global cooperation.
6. Build and improve technology skills in developing countries to better use technology and adapt it to their development needs.
7. Enhance communication among developing nations, leading to a greater understanding of shared issues, broader access to knowledge and experiences, and the creation of new knowledge in addressing development challenges.
8. Support developing nations in participating more actively in global economic activities and in expanding global cooperation for development.
9. South-South Cooperation facilitates the sharing of best practices among developing nations, grounded in equality and mutual benefit.

India and South-South Cooperation

1. India's pivotal role in the Global South is unquestionable, and its participation in South-South cooperation is vital for fostering collaboration among developing nations.
2. India hosted the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit on 17 August 2024. This unique initiative began as an extension of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas’, and is underpinned by India's philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. It envisages bringing together countries of the Global South to share their perspectives and priorities on a common platform across a whole range of issues.
3. Top UN officials and representatives have praised India as a champion of South-South cooperation for its exceptional leadership in tackling worldwide issues and for its support of collaboration among countries in the Global South. They emphasized India's role as the host of the G20 meetings and described the lasting partnership between India and the UN as a beacon for other countries in the Global South.
4. The India-United Nations Development Fund has backed 76 development initiatives in 54 emerging countries, emphasizing the advantages of implementing a solar water pumping system in Haiti.
5. President Dennis Francis of the 78th UN General Assembly defined it as a significant accomplishment, and described this as "no small feat", especially given the current era of reduced financial opportunities alongside the effects of the pandemic and other worldwide crises in recent times.
6. In November 2023, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J Mohammed praised India as a strong supporter of South-South Cooperation and the worldwide effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), demonstrating its commitment to the belief of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.' She admired India for its steadfast dedication and financial contributions.
7. During her speech at the India-UN Development Partnership Fund - 6 years of Collaborative Partnership event, Amina J Mohammed emphasized that India has always been a strong supporter of South-South Cooperation and the worldwide efforts towards achieving the SDGs, embodying the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the concept of the world as a unified family. South-South Corporation not only highlights the India UN partnership fund but also showcases the impressive successes that UN member nations can achieve by collaborating with developing countries on various SDGs.

South-South partnerships – along with triangular cooperation – are crucial to building a better future for all. These partnerships can advance a fairer, more inclusive global financial system that responds to the challenges faced by developing countries. They can help unlock the power of digitalization, data, and science-backed solutions for sustainable development. - António Guterres, UN Secretary-General