HLPF Side-event: Good Practices in South-South & Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development in SIDS, 7 July 2021

By June 24, 2021 July 8th, 2021 Events

Advancing the SAMOA Pathway and Achieving Sustainable Recovery

  • When: Wednesday, 7 July 2021, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm (New York time)

Introduction

South-South cooperation has been recognized for its catalytic role and its complementary value in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and most recently in the COVID-19 recovery efforts.

South-South knowledge exchange has become a most important and dynamic pillar of South-South and triangular cooperation.  It has gained prominence among developing countries that are increasingly recognizing the good practices generated from the Global South have been cost-effective and easily adaptable. Exchanges of Southern expertise and knowledge offer viable pathways to address common challenges among the developing countries and to accelerate progress in the achievement of the SDGs.

Also available on BiliBili.

Over the decades, countries of the South, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have accumulated considerable experience in their own development processes, some of which have been shared with other developing countries. However, the reach of these good practices to other SIDS countries has not been optimal. In the context of South-South cooperation, the lack of inter-SIDS exchanges to learn from each other has been raised in various fora. Demonstrating how South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation can support countries to overcome challenges and accelerate progress towards sustainable development is paramount. These also benefit developing countries that are seeking to replicate and scale them up.

Background and Objectives

The United Nations Office of South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) produces a series of good practices publications that highlight Southern good practices presented by the Member States, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and other development partners.

To this end, UNOSSC and in collaboration with the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) will jointly launch a thematic good practices publication titled “Good Practices in South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development in SIDS- Advancing the SAMOA Pathway and Achieving Sustainable Recovery” which presents over 45 good practices across all SDGs.  The publication will be launched at the side-event of the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) 2021 that is being held from 6-15 July 2021. These good practices illustrate the central tenets of effective South-South and triangular cooperation; address transnational development challenges; highlight solutions that have been piloted and scaled up, and have tangible development outcomes. The good practices contribute to the SDGs, as well as the SAMOA Pathway (Small island developing states Accelerated Modalities of Action) priority areas, including relevant and scalable efforts in the context of COVID-19 pandemic recovery while spotlighting the role of South-South cooperation in supporting sustainable development.   The aim of the publication is to facilitate and promote peer learning and collective efforts among SIDS and their development partners in addressing SIDS special development challenges and building resilience. The publication of good practices is also in keeping with commitments made in the multi-country office (MCO) implementation roadmap, developed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG),  to foster South-South cooperation and cross-regional learning through the mapping and sharing of good practices relevant for SIDS.

This publication is expected to inspire governments, private sector and entrepreneurs, civil society and non-governmental organizations and citizens, in general, to adopt, improve and share the best practices that aim to contribute to the well-being of countries and communities in the Global South.

Followed by the formal launch of the publication at the side-event, representatives from the SIDS countries will also be invited to present selected good practices, from the publication, to share their success stories, and experiences.

The good practices will also be available on South-South Galaxy– a digital global knowledge sharing and partnership brokering, to facilitate knowledge sharing and cooperation between partners of the global South.

Agenda

Moderator: Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang, Deputy Director, UNOSSC

  1. Opening Remarks
    • H.E. Amb. Walton A. Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua & Barbuda, and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
    • Mr. Courtenay Rattray, Under Secretary-General, UN-OHRLLS
    • Mr. Adel Abdellatif, Director a.i, UNOSSC

2. Launch of the Publication “Good Practices in South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development in SIDS – Advancing SAMOA Pathway and Achieving Sustainable Recovery” (Followed by 2 min animated video)

3. Special Commentators (SIDS Representatives)

  • H.E. Secretary Andrew Yatilman, Minister of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Management, the Federated States of Micronesia
  • H.E. Ambassador Solo Mara, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Development Forum
  • Ms Jophie Tang, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore
  • Ms. Deniese Sealey, Charge d’Affaires/Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations

4. Open Discussion and Q&A

5. Closing Remarks

  • Mr. Courtenay Rattray, Under Secretary-General, UN-OHRLLS