South-South cooperation and its benefits for developing countries

Solidarity among sister States has been one of the key pillars of SSC. [iStockphoto]

The widely used term "South-South cooperation" (also abbreviated as "SSC") is sometimes misunderstood, as some advanced countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, are also located in the southern hemisphere, but do not fall into the category covered by SSC. Simply stated, SSC is about developing countries working together to find solutions to common socioeconomic and environmental challenges.

When the notion of SSC was conceived in 1978 in Buenos Aires, it was first known as "technical cooperation among developing countries" or "TCDC". TCDC was expanded in 2000 to include much more than merely technical cooperation, hence the birth of the term "South-South cooperation".

A number of determinative principles were agreed upon for SSC, and these included solidarity, respect for natural sovereignty, non-conditionality, mutually beneficial solutions, ownership and reciprocity. While those principles remain important and continue to be practised, others have become equally important in the face of global events.

Since its inception, solidarity among sister States has been one of the key pillars of SSC. For example, during the Liberian Civil War (1990-1997), member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed to send a force, led by Nigeria, to stabilize Liberia.

These troops were overseen by the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) supported with resources provided by the Government of Nigeria. ECOMOG troops played a key role in that crisis and helped to stabilize Liberia, making possible the organization of a national election in 1997.

Another example of SSC that demonstrates its promotion of the principles of solidarity and mutual benefit is the partnership initiated in 2018 between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and the Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining of Peru.

This project, still underway, is aimed at strengthening knowledge on the safety and distribution of liquefied petroleum gas. Priorities for engagement were determined by the two countries, characterized by professional training, investment and technology transfer, and several exchange visits.

The successful eradication of river blindness in West Africa in the early years of independence demonstrates how respect for national sovereignty and independence can lead to a mutually beneficial solution.

Despite their political differences, 11 West African countries collaborated for 28 years, covering local costs and providing staff and data. With the support of the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization, bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations, this pernicious disease, which had blighted the citizens of the participating countries, was finally eradicated.

The Niger-Nigeria Joint Commission for Cooperation, which, over the last five decades, has promoted economic integration through people-to-people contacts across the two countries' borders, is another example of a mutually beneficial SSC.

This collaborative venture, which runs deeply through the countries' social fabric, ensuring the free movement of people, capital, goods and services in both countries without any barriers, has demonstrated yet again the mutual benefits associated with SSC.

While predating the conception of SSC, the establishment of the University of East Africa in the 1960s was an early embodiment of the equality principle of SSC. By levelling fees and other college expenses, the University enables students to study for degrees that might not be offered in their home country.

To that end, the University of East Africa represents a collaboration among Makerere University (in the field of medicine, forestry and education) in Uganda, Kenya's Royal College (in engineering and science), and the University of Dar es Salaam (in law and social sciences) in Tanzania.

SSC can also have a knock-on effect whereby a country may receive support in one field and, in turn, render support to others. For example, Cambodia has received support from India, Brazil, Kuwait and Qatar.

In return, Cambodia has provided expertise to support other developing countries in such fields as landmine eradication, a domain in which it gained expertise after its civil war. In this regard, all developing countries have something positive to contribute to the development of others, and synergy should be encouraged among the countries of the South.

Lastly, the principle of non-conditionality necessitates the building of partnerships in which assistance, tangible or intangible, is given with no strings attached. In recent years, however, some emerging countries have begun to behave like donors, complicating collaboration.

For instance, China, India and Malaysia have been participating in the commercial petroleum business in South Sudan outside of the traditional pillars of SSC. On the other hand, it could be argued that this represents a natural progression, as the economies of countries evolve from those characteristic of SSC.

In short, SSC clearly allows participating countries to learn from one another, and to share best practices, knowledge and resources for the mutual benefit of their people through adherence to, and promotion of, the principles of solidarity, respect for sovereignty, non-conditionality and reciprocity.

The writer Dr. John. O. Kakonge, is the former Kenya Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, [email protected]