UNITED NATIONS, Sep 12 (IPS) – The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, held yearly on 12 September, is a strong reminder of the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that transcends geographical boundaries – a spirit that’s essential to making sure South-South cooperation. A greater, extra affluent future for all. In a world dealing with cross-cutting challenges, the significance of South-South solidarity can’t be overstated.
We are actually at a essential juncture in attaining the 2030 Agenda. Sadly, our progress is much from passable. Solely 17% of the Sustainable Improvement Targets (SDGs) are on monitor to be achieved. Practically half of the objectives present minimal or reasonable progress, and worryingly, greater than a 3rd of them have stalled and even regressed.
These numbers will not be simply numbers; They signify the lives, futures and hopes of billions of individuals world wide.
The worldwide panorama is more and more characterised by growing conflicts, escalating geopolitical and commerce tensions, and the devastating results of local weather change. These challenges put the sustainable improvement objectives at severe threat, with the world’s most weak individuals bearing the brunt. In opposition to this backdrop, the potential of South-South and triangular cooperation to advertise progress in direction of sustainable improvement objectives has by no means been extra essential.
As we glance to future summits, commemorating the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation supplies a well timed alternative to mirror on the progress we’ve got made collectively on this means. Extra importantly, it forces us to acknowledge the large potential that South-South cooperation has in constructing a extra equitable and sustainable future.
South-South cooperation is not a fringe idea; it’s now widely known as a strong device for inclusive progress, mutual studying and shared success.
Throughout the growing world, we’re witnessing exceptional progress in resilience-building, innovation and collaboration. These achievements exhibit that by mobilizing worldwide solidarity and constructing world partnerships by means of South-South and triangular cooperation, we will speed up the achievement of sustainable improvement objectives.
Many world discussions and summits inside and out of doors the United Nations have highlighted this potential. Whether or not the main target is on least developed international locations, small island growing states, middle-income international locations, water or commerce, the message is obvious: South-South cooperation is delivering outcomes.
We have seen unimaginable success in international locations throughout the World South, from enhancing well being methods and boosting agricultural productiveness to advancing training and expertise.
Take the Republic of Congo, for instance, which is leveraging Brazil’s experience in household farming and college feeding packages to enhance meals safety and vitamin. Or Cuba, whose medical professionals have been on the entrance traces preventing the illness throughout the South.
Within the Pacific, UNESCO is facilitating exchanges between international locations equivalent to Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to construct trainer capability. These are only a few examples of how international locations within the World South will not be solely sharing information and assets, but in addition constructing lasting partnerships that transcend nationwide borders.
The United Nations Workplace for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) performs a key function in selling, coordinating and supporting these efforts globally and inside the United Nations system. Our work consists of figuring out synergies between companions and selling cooperation to attain all internationally agreed improvement objectives.
One of many key instruments we’ve got developed on this effort is the South-South Galaxy – a digital platform that gives greater than 950 good practices for the South’s sustainable improvement objectives. These practices could be shared and replicated by all international locations, offering a wealth of data that has lifted hundreds of thousands out of poverty and contributed to a fairer world.
The South-South and Triangular Cooperation Options Lab hosted on the identical platform is one other progressive initiative. The lab has begun incubating and testing scalable South-South and triangular cooperation options, driving new approaches to the complicated challenges we face.
Our South-South Belief Fund is one other testomony to the unity of our companions within the South. For instance, the Indian authorities has invested greater than US$55.5 million in 63 initiatives by means of the India-United Nations Improvement Partnership Fund to assist the sustainable improvement of greater than 30 small island growing international locations.
Likewise, the IBSA Fund, supported by India, Brazil and South Africa, continues to harness the confirmed energy of South-South and triangular cooperation to carry actual enhancements to the every day lives of individuals world wide. From offering protected ingesting water to 12,000 individuals in Cape Verde to establishing a nationwide common medical insurance program in Grenada, these initiatives exhibit the affect of collaborative efforts.
Triangular cooperation – South-South cooperation supported by developed international locations or multilateral organizations – additionally performs a key function. For instance, the Republic of Korea and the Mekong River Fee are working collectively to share scientific and technical information to implement water, meals and power connections for weak communities in Cambodia, the Lao Individuals’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Later this 12 months, we are going to launch a devoted triangular cooperation window to optimize this assist mannequin and improve expertise sharing amongst companions.
Regardless of these achievements, we acknowledge that there’s nonetheless a lot work to be carried out. We face a world formed by new, complicated world challenges – what some name a number of crises.
Local weather change, financial uncertainty, debt injustice, battle and the continuing restoration from the COVID-19 pandemic proceed to check our resilience. Nonetheless, I stay satisfied that by means of South-South and triangular cooperation we will flip these challenges into alternatives for transformative and equitable change.
On this United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, I name on all stakeholders – together with governments, the United Nations household, civil society, academia and the personal sector – to hitch fingers to strengthen South-South cooperation. Allow us to work to increase partnerships and deepen cooperation to make sure that nobody is left behind.
Collectively we will obtain sustainable improvement objectives and construct a affluent, inclusive and sustainable future for all.
Please be a part of us!
Dima Khatib He’s presently the Director of the United Nations Workplace for South-South Cooperation. She took workplace as Director of the United Nations Workplace for South-South Cooperation on March 1, 2023.
Previous to becoming a member of the United Nations Workplace for South-South Cooperation, Ms. Khatib served because the United Nations Improvement Program Resident Consultant within the Republic of Moldova. Previous to this, she held varied positions, together with Program and Coverage Coordinator on the UNDP Regional Middle in Amman, UNDP Deputy Resident Consultant in Kuwait, and UNDP Deputy Nation Director in Libya.
Ms. Al-Khatib holds a Diploma in Environmental Well being (DEA) from the Lebanese College and the College of Bordeaux II in France, in addition to a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Well being and a Educating Diploma from the American College of Beirut. Dima Al-Khatib tweets @dimaalkhatib1
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