South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Driving Innovation and Solidarity in a Changing World

The United Nations Headquarters in New York hosted the annual observance of the UN Day for South-South Cooperation, commemorating the 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) and celebrating the growing momentum of solidarity and innovation across the Global South. 

This year’s theme, “New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation,” underscored the urgency of translating commitments into action as the world moves beyond the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda. With over 800 million people still living in extreme poverty and many developing countries spending more on debt servicing than on essential public services, cooperation across the Global South has become an essential engine of resilience, innovation, and inclusive growth. 

At the high-level event, UN leaders and Member States highlighted how South-South and triangular cooperation are not only complementing traditional North-South approaches but also offering context-sensitive, scalable solutions tailored to local realities—from digital transformation and climate resilience to health systems and sustainable financing. 

In his opening remarks, ECOSOC President Lok Bahadur Thapa reaffirmed that such cooperation has already shown its power to “deliver together, deliver better, and deliver for all.” 

Leadership and high-level representatives delivered powerful messages throughout the event: 

• UNOSSC Director Dima Al-Khatib emphasized the role of South-South cooperation in building resilience amid conflict. 

• President of the 80th UNGA, Annalena Baerbock, praised the theme, noting that digital-era cooperation enables societies to “come together, better together”—from connecting mothers with doctors online to supporting law enforcement against digital abuses. 

• The representative of Iraq, on behalf of the G77 & China, reaffirmed the relevance of BAPA as a milestone of unity, with South-South and triangular cooperation providing transformative responses to today’s crises. 

• The representative of Morocco, for the President of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, called for a forward-looking vision prioritizing digital transformation, connectivity, and inclusive development, particularly for women and girls. 

• UNDP Acting Administrator Haoliang Xu highlighted ongoing partnerships with UNOSSC, UN Country Teams, and the South-South Trust Fund to test, scale, and finance innovative solutions. 

This year’s observance gathered a wide range of high-level participants, including the UN Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, the ECOSOC President, Permanent Representatives from across regions, and representatives of intergovernmental and international organizations such as the African Union, IAEA, WFP, and the Group of 7 Plus. 

Speakers consistently called for stronger partnerships, greater solidarity, and more ambitious financing to drive transformative change. As the global community prepares for the 80th session of the General Assembly, the message from the UN Day for South-South Cooperation was clear: the Global South is a source of solutions and leadership, capable of accelerating progress on the SDGs and building a more just, peaceful, and sustainable future.