New Opportunities and Innovation Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation

As the world reflects on the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of the Future and marks the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pressing global challenges remain a priority. From climate change and debt crises to persistent poverty and widening digital divides, over 650 million people continue to live in extreme poverty, with many countries forced to spend more on debt servicing than on essential services.

From this, the South-South and triangular cooperation have emerged as crucial outlets for collective progress. Rooted in mutual respect and solidarity, these forms of collaboration offer innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of developing nations.

The UN Day for South-South Cooperation, ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, highlights the power of these partnerships to transform development. Themed “New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation”, the 2025 event reflects on the growing role of the Global South in addressing pressing global challenges.

A high-level panel discussion at the UN Headquarters brought together global leaders, including the UN Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, UNDP officials, and diplomatic partners, to reaffirm the importance of South-South approaches in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

South-South cooperation is a development approach where countries of the Global South collaborate to exchange knowledge, skills, and technologies. Unlike traditional aid models, it’s a partnership of equals — countries working together based on shared priorities and mutual benefit.

Established in the 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action, this framework emphasizes principles such as equality, non-interference, and sustainable collaboration. Since then, it has evolved to include triangular cooperation, where developed countries or international organizations support exchanges between Southern partners.

South-South and triangular cooperation offer a powerful counterbalance to traditional aid systems, enabling countries to exchange appropriate locally grounded solutions, scale up innovative programs and technologies through shared platforms, promote collective self-reliance and reduce dependence on external aid, and build resilience to overlapping global crises such as pandemics, climate shocks, and economic instability.

Key areas of focus outlined during this year’s commemoration include:

• Sustainable Financing: A push for more stable and long-term funding through tools like blended finance and debt swaps.
• Innovation and Resilience: Leveraging partnerships to develop agile, grounded responses to current global crises.
• Driving the SDGs: Ensuring these collaborative models are central to global development efforts.
• Empowering the Global South: Recognizing the South as a development leader, rich in ideas, innovation, and regional solutions.
• Tools for Scale: Utilizing platforms like South-South Galaxy and the Solutions Lab to connect partners, scale impact, and accelerate learning.

The foundational goals remain central to its continued relevance:

• Empower countries to create home-grown solutions.
• Strengthen joint capacity and shared problem-solving.
• Advance technological capabilities and skill transfer.
• Focus on the specific needs of the most vulnerable.
• Enhance global economic integration and cooperation among developing nations.

In a world where traditional development aid often falls short, South-South and triangular cooperation provide a more inclusive, adaptable, and empowering model. With increased commitment, innovative tools, and strong partnerships, these models are not just complementing traditional aid: they are reshaping the future of development itself.