Decentralized Cooperations
South – South Cooperation
Channel Hub:
SOUTH-SOUTH cooperation is a broad framework for 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, sub-regional or interregional basis. Developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts. Recent developments in South-South cooperation have taken the form of increased volume of South-South trade, South-South flows of foreign direct investment, movements towards regional integration, technology transfers, sharing of solutions and experts, and other forms of exchanges.
Basic Elements of South-South Cooperation
South-South cooperation is initiated, organized and managed by developing countries themselves; often, Governments play a lead role, with active participation from public- and private-sector institutions, non-governmental organizations and individuals. It involves different and evolving forms, including the sharing of knowledge and experience, training, technology transfer, financial and monetary cooperation and in-kind contributions. South-South cooperation can include different sectors and be bilateral, multilateral, sub-regional, regional or inter-regional in nature.
Benefits of South-South cooperation include:
- Strengthening of the voice and bargaining power of developing countries in multilateral negotiations;
- Use of experience and capacity that already exists and the development of new capacities in developing countries;
- Opening of additional channels of communication among developing countries;
- Promotion and strengthening of economic integration among developing countries on as wide a geographic basis as possible;
- Enhancement of the multiplier effect of technical cooperation;
- Fostering of economic, scientific and technological self-reliance;
- Increased knowledge of and confidence in the capacities available in developing countries;
- Coordination of policies on development issues relevant to a number of developing countries;
- Development of indigenous technology and the introduction of techniques better adapted to local needs, particularly in traditional subsistence sectors such as agriculture
