INTRODUCTION
South-South cooperation has been recognized as an effective tool
for the strengthening of cooperation. It has also been recognized as an
effective instrument for the support of regional and sub regional efforts
towards integration and also as an effective platform for the mobilization of
resources for the benefit of less developed countries.
South-south cooperation has also been recognized as an effective
mechanism for the improvement of dialogue at the sub regional, regional and
international levels and better directs Financial, human, organizational and
technological resources where they are most needed.
According to a recent report published by the UN, South-South
cooperation has been taken into account in major national and regional policies
for the period (2003-2004) and this is basically due to a general increase in
regional integration under the framework of South-south cooperation.
Presently, there are over 210 agreements on regional
integration in force. More than half of these agreements concern world trade
and about 40% of them concern Developing countries. This is primarily due to
the fact that developing countries, whether large or small, recognize the fact
that they need regional interdependence, to enable them catch up with
globalization.
The report also acknowledges that Africa is the most dynamic
continent in the promotion of South-South cooperation, making reference to the
work of African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). However,
and with reference to African Union, Most of its plans and strategies towards
the reinforcement of cooperation amongst its member states is been done within
the framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
Thus the Total cost of short-term projects in the fields of
sanitation and water resources, Information technology and communication, as
well as capacity development has been estimated to about 8 billion ,120 million
US dollars (half of which would be financed by the private sector).
Other stake holders apart from States or Governments have over
time, developed lots of interests in activities concerning South-South
cooperation, some of which include academic and research institutions, the
civic society and other NGOs.
Within the framework of the United Nations, activities towards
the promotion of South-South cooperation are very many and still increasing.
Some examples include:
· The UNDP, which has decided to make South-South
cooperation a driving force for development in its Multi-Year Funding
Framework.
· FAO, on the other hand, is developing South-South
cooperation in the context of its Special Program for Food Security (SPFS);
· The UNEP, is also developing south-south cooperation in
its activities relating to cross-border programmes or the management of Shared
natural resources;
· UNESCO, Places South-South cooperation at the heart of
its programme on «Man and the Biosphere(MAB)»;
· The United Nations University (UNU), particularly
interested in activities concerning south-south cooperation, recently expressed
it's commitment through training programmes in forest management and the
analysis of Sustainable development.
At the inter-regional levels, the group of 77 and China is one
of the promoters of South-South cooperation. The high-level conference of the
Group of 77 and China, held in December 2004 in Marrakech, Concluded that
South-South cooperation "is not just an option but an imperative" supplementing
North-South cooperation and which is an important contribution towards the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
Recently, members of the Group of 77 and China have adopted
the Doha Declaration and A Plan of Action which focuses on South-South
cooperation, development and poverty alleviation. They also decided to create a
special fund for Development and Humanitarian situations. 40 million US dollars
in donations has been pledged for the creation of this fund, out of which 20
million has been pledged by Qatar and 2 million by China.
The World Bank in recent years has been very interested in
South-South initiatives and organized in May 2004 in Shanghai a major
international conference to see how to extend to other developing countries,
the successful experiences of some developing countries in their fight against
poverty. This initiative falls within the framework of the Millennium
development Goals of halving the world's poverty by 2015.
Developed countries also support South-South cooperation,
especially through programmed and coordinated cooperation. The European Union,
Japan, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries and the United States of America
have all supported activities of South-South cooperation while Japan has made
it a priority in its programme of Assistance for Development. Most developed
countries also believe that the reinforcement of South-South cooperation and
triangular cooperation can improve the effectiveness of aid by focusing on the
creation of Partnerships.
The expansion of South-South cooperation is also part of a
dynamic global review of principal methods and procedures for financing
development, as defined in the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals
adopted in 2000 by the international community and by the international
Conference
On Financing for Development, held in March 2002 in
Monterrey.
Indeed, in recent years, there has been much awareness at the
highest levels internationally, the need for profound changes in the procedures
for the allocation of resources and partner countries must exercise a real
control over their development policies and strategies and ensure a coordinated
action in support of Development.
This new approach to aid for development, in its first step,
empowers the developing countries concerned and secondly accustoms them to the
spirit of South-South cooperation, whose main aim is the mobilization of
resources and human capability from the developing countries concerned. It also
aims at the establishment and the strengthening, of good political and economic
governance in the countries concerned. Thus, and undoubtedly, cooperating for
development has now been understood in all its complexities and is not limited
only to financial or Technical decisions, but also considered as an integral
process which includes issues in various domains namely political, social and
economic.
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