The United Nations (UN) International Day for South-South Cooperation is annually observed across the globe on 12th September, to highlight the importance of cooperation among people and economic and technical cooperation among countries of the developing world, known as the Global South.
- South-South Cooperation (SSC) refers to the technical cooperation among developing countries in the Global South.
The 2023 theme of the International Day for South-South Cooperation is, “Solidarity, Equity, and Partnership: Unlocking South-South Cooperation to Achieve the SDGs”.
- The theme highlights the importance of SSC in achieving the UN 2030 agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Background:
i.On 23rd December 2003, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution A/RES/58/220 and proclaimed the 19th December of every year as the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation.
ii.The first-ever UN Day for SSC was observed on 19th December 2004.
Why December 19?
It was on that date, that the UNGA endorsed the Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Co-operation among Developing Countries (TCDC), known as the “Buenos Aires Plan of Action” (BAPA).
Change in the date of Observance:
In 2011, the UNGA decided to change the observance of the International Day for SSC from 19th December to 12th September, to mark the date in 1978, when the UN Conference of the Global South on TCDC adopted the BAPA for Promoting and Implementing TCDC, one of the main pillars for SSC.
- On 12 September 1978, UN conference of the Global South on TCDC was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
South-South Cooperation (SSC):
i.It is done through a broad framework of collaboration among countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains.
ii.Involving two or more developing countries, it can take place on a bilateral, regional, intraregional or interregional basis.
iii.Through SSC, developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts.
2023 Events:
i.A High-level Panel Discussion was organised by United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), together with the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in its capacity of Chair of the High-Level Committee on SSC 2023-2025 on 12th September 2023 in New York, the United States of America.
- The event highlighted the needs emerging from various regions as well as to present transformational initiatives designed to address the most acute priorities of the 2023 Agenda.
ii.UNDP and Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) launched the report “Harnessing the Role of Private Sector in Waste Management through SSC for Inclusive Urbanization”.
iii.Rwanda Cooperation in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and WFP organised a Plenary regarding the South-South and Triangular cooperation.
iv.In 2023, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) partnered with the governments of Brazil, China and India to launch new programmes to establish the role of SSC in supporting countries to meet their development goals and to the achievement of the SDGs.
About United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC):
i.In 1974, the UNGA endorsed “the establishment of a special unit within the UNDP, to promote technical co-operation among developing countries.”
ii.Its name was changed to United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) by a High-level Committee decision on 2 April 2012.
Director– Dima Al-Khatib
Headquarters– New York, United States of America (USA)
Established in– 1974
