Unlocking Sustainable Growth through South-South Cooperation

Developing countries are increasingly turning to partnerships with fellow states facing similar challenges, known as South-South cooperation, to boost their economies and achieve global development goals. This form of cooperation involves the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources among countries in the Global South, enabling them to drive development forward and address their post-colonial future. The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) has been a driving force behind this initiative, supporting developing countries in achieving their development goals through mutual cooperation.

Key Takeaways:

• Developing countries, comprising 80% of the world's population, possess vast untapped human and natural resources, holding tremendous potential to drive development forward.
• South-South cooperation has the potential to change the economic equation, create jobs, and build local capacity in countries such as Ethiopia, Paraguay, Rwanda, and others.
• The experiences and goals of most countries in the Global South intersect as they strive to meet the development needs of their people.
• The UNOSSC has established partnerships with the India-UN Development Partnership Fund and the India-Brazil-South Africa Fund to facilitate cross-border cooperation and promote collective action.
• South-South cooperation can be a driving force for renewing and strengthening multilateralism, bridging the divide between the countries of the Global North and the Global South.
• The UNOSSC facilitates the exchange of knowledge, technologies, innovative solutions, and best practices among developing countries through its online platform, South-South Galaxy.

Statistics:

• 80% of the world's population resides in developing countries.
• South-South cooperation has the potential to change the economic equation, create jobs, and build local capacity in countries ranging from Ethiopia to Paraguay, Rwanda, and others.
• The Islamic Development Bank has facilitated knowledge exchange among its 57 member states and supported initiatives such as advanced irrigation technologies, sustainable agriculture, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Over 80% of the funds for the UNOSSC are provided by countries in the South.
• The UNOSSC has an online platform, South-South Galaxy, that facilitates the exchange of knowledge, technologies, innovative solutions, and best practices among developing countries.

Sources:

• Ezzat El-Ferri (11 September 2025), "Economic Development"
• United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation
• Dima Khatib, Director, UNOSSC
• United Nations (1974), "Establishment of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)"