Brussels, 11 July 2016/ ACP: The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) today agreed to embark on concrete joint initiatives to foster South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation amongst their mutual constituencies.

The ACP Secretary General H.E. Dr. Patrick I. Gomes and the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for South-South Cooperation and UNOSSC Director Mr. Jorge Chediek signed an exchange of letters at the ACP headquarters in Brussels.

The agreement outlined the key areas of cooperation, including

  • Fostering South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation among their mutual constituencies, as well with other developing countries to support intraregional and regional integration;
  • Deepening institutional partnerships to scale up knowledge-sharing, showcasing and scaling up of development solutions, and technology transfer;
  • Providing support to constituencies towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
  • Joint coordination and support in harmonizing policy and technical approaches in South-South cooperation by introducing complementary programmes such as the establishment of the ACP Group trust fund for South-South cooperation.

“As we reposition the ACP Group to be a dynamic force and effective global player, it is through partnerships with institutions such as the UNOSSC that we expect to realise our vision and goals in the fight against poverty and inequality. We intend to draw on the rich pool and heritage of solutions, innovative strategies, and experiences that are to be found in our countries, and the Global South,” stated ACP Secretary General Dr. Gomes at the signing ceremony.

“The ACP Group of States is a natural forum for South-South and triangular cooperation and natural partners for those who wish to promote South-South cooperation. The aim is to work together to put South-South cooperation at the centre of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, as we know that many of the answers to development problems can already be found in developing countries of the South,” said Mr. Chediek of UNOSSC.

“The member states of the ACP Group are convinced of the central role of South-South cooperation in addressing the development challenges we face. South-South and triangular cooperation facilitates the exchange of information, experiences and best practices, knowledge and technology in a variety of sectors. It is an important complementary force to traditional North-South development cooperation,” added the Chairman of the ACP Sub-Committee of Development Finance Cooperation, and Ambassador of Benin to the EU H.E. Charles Todjinou, who was a special guest at the ceremony.

As part of this new partnership, the ACP Group is expected to participate at the upcoming 8th annual Global South-South Development Expo scheduled for 30 October to 3 November in Dubai, UAE. Since 2011, the ACP Secretariat has also organised a number of flagship international symposia focused on South-South and triangular cooperation.

The signing of the agreement follows on the 8th ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea earlier this year, whereby leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the sustainable development of ACP states and improved living standards of ACP citizens, through South-South, North-South and Triangular Cooperation.

(Photo from left: ACP Assistant Secretary General Mr. Henrique Banze; UN Special Envoy for South-South Cooperation Mr. Jorge Chediek; Chair of the ACP Sub-Committee for Development Finance Cooperation Amb. Charles Todjinou; and ACP Secretary General Dr. Patrick I. Gomes)

For more information, contact:

Josephine Latu-Sanft
ACP Press Office
Ave. Georges Henri 451, 1200, Brussels
+32 2 02 7430617
latu@acp.int

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