South-South and Triangular Cooperation Solutions Lab

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About the Solutions Lab

The South-South and Triangular Cooperation Solutions Lab is an innovation-focused initiative designed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) to address the multifaceted development challenges confronting developing countries by capitalizing on the power of South-South and triangular cooperation. The Lab is geared towards accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through collaborative efforts, shared knowledge, and strategic partnerships among the global South. More specifically, the Lab has three main interlinked objectives, as described below.

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Objectives

Thus, the UNOSSC Strategic Framework 2022–2025 has called for the establishment of a South-South and Triangular Cooperation Solutions Lab to “facilitate the coordination, co-design, incubation and scaling up of initiatives that promote knowledge exchange, capacity development, and technology development and transfer while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.” Once operational, the Lab will address complex development challenges faced by developing countries. By enhancing South-South and triangular cooperation among member states, United Nations agencies and partners, and harnessing local, regional and inter- regional expertise and resources, the Lab aims to foster innovative and scalable solutions that expedite the realization of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Main Service Lines

The UNOSSC Lab will provide support through specific service lines through three types of ‘windows’ at the global, regional and country levels. These windows are important to underline the demand-driven and client-oriented specifics of the Lab, as well as its capability to capture regional, inter-regional and global emerging trends. In collaboration with partners, experts and practitioners, the Lab will establish a mechanism to collect data from member states and partners, and use them in order to obtain a more accurate overview of South-South and triangular cooperation opportunities for further engagement, both directly and indirectly.

Distinct Features

The Lab will boast several distinct features that makes it a ‘unique value proposition’ for main clients. First and foremost, it is crafted to cater specifically to the demands of its stakeholders, drawing also upon the comparative advantages and capacity of UNOSSC. Instead of being just an internal tool, the Lab also serves as a public good, offering its resources and insights to member states, the United Nations system and other partners. It actively seeks to optimize the benefits derived from both existing and emerging partnerships.

A key attribute of the Lab is its commitment to employing novel types of data and therefore evidence, providing insights into both intricate development issues and nascent challenges. While the Lab’s scope is broad, it specializes in a select few thematic areas. Additionally, it functions as an incubation space for both tried-and-true and innovative solutions. To ensure that its message and mission resonate widely, the Lab invests heavily in raising its profile and championing results, best practices and crucial partnerships.

Main Proposed Thematic Areas

The UNOSSC Lab will provide the following specific service lines through three types of ‘windows’ at the global, regional and country levels. These windows are important to underline the demand-driven and client-oriented specifics of the Lab, as well as its capability to capture regional, inter-regional and global emerging trends.