Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, Dima al-Khatib, spoke to UN News about the significance of solidarity among developing countries as the International Day of South-South Cooperation approaches.
UN News: Why is south-south cooperation crucial?
Dima al-Khatib: In today’s world, developing countries are facing numerous complex development challenges, which have been further exacerbated by the recent pandemic and its aftermath. These challenges include geopolitical, food-related, education-related, and economic crises, making the development context extremely complex. In order to address these issues, collaboration among countries is essential.
For example, when it comes to climate change, it is not just one country’s responsibility. Climate, water management, and natural disasters know no geographical boundaries. Similarly, peace and development are interconnected and require cooperation among countries.
If countries fail to work together to address and mitigate these complexities, it will be a missed opportunity for progress and development.
UN News: Can you give examples of how countries of the global South can support each other?
Dima al-Khatib: As someone from Lebanon, I would like to highlight a regional initiative led by the UNDP that aims to combat corruption. This initiative has provided technical assistance to individual countries in developing strategies to fight corruption. It has also created a network of policymakers from all countries in the region who regularly meet to learn from each other in terms of policies, legal aspects, and specific cases. This network has been highly successful.
UN News: How common is cooperation among multiple countries?
Dima al-Khatib: One noteworthy project funded by the India UN Partnership focuses on energy transition. This project involves 10 countries and is supported by the Solar Alliance. It not only allows countries to learn from each other, but also ensures that the results align with each country’s national development priorities and plans. This project has both national and regional dimensions.
UN News: Can cooperation across continents be effective?
Dima al-Khatib: I recently witnessed a great example of cooperation between China and Chile during my visit to China. Through a partnership with China, the UN is working on a project for digital transport management in cities. This project has brought together the cities of Hang Xue and Santiago to learn from each other on how to manage transportation in large cities, reduce traffic congestion, improve citizen comfort, and reduce pollution using digital technologies. This is just one of many examples of the growing impact of South-South cooperation.
UN News: What role do young people play in South-South Cooperation?
Dima al-Khatib: The majority of the population in developing countries are young people, making them crucial agents of change. We are working with UNESCO on a project to connect universities in the global South. This not only promotes sustainable education, but also creates a network of connectivity among young people in universities. This initiative can easily be scaled up to involve more universities and have a greater impact. For me, scalability and sustainability are key elements in moving this forward.
UN News: How does South-South Cooperation relate to the upcoming Summit of the Future?
Dima al-Khatib: The Summit of the Future is a critical moment as we have five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and we are currently falling behind. This is an opportunity to renew our commitment to South-South cooperation and to use this approach to address complex development issues such as debt distress, climate change, and health resilience. Many developing countries have put forward solutions and are waiting for support from other countries to move forward.