Dr. Sahar Nasr: the cooperation allows development partners to join the initiatives of the countries of the south and offers new opportunities for cooperation... and the establishment of centers of innovations and mechanisms for the exchange of expertise and successful experiences within the framework of the technical cooperation among the countries of the South.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) emphasizes the importance of private sector participation in development through South-South Cooperation Initiatives.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): we are working with the countries of the South to address the challenges of climate change, poverty and hunger through sustainable agriculture mechanisms.
International Labour Organization (ILO): providing decent and sustainable job opportunities through support to South-South cooperation initiatives.
Dr. Sahar Nasr, Minister of Investment and International cooperation, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, chaired the first discussion session on the benefits and opportunities of South-North cooperation – this is during her chairmanship of the Egyptian delegation at the Second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation that was held in Buenos Aires capital of Argentina- , with the participation of a number of state and government leaders such as Mr. Qu Dongyu, Vice-Minister of Agriculture of China, and Mr. Jorge Moreira da Silva, of the Development Co-operation Directorate at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and Ms. Cornelia Richter, Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and about 1,000 people from the civil society and the private sector. In addition to the presence of heads and members of the delegation of 110 countries and international institutions including the International Labor Organization (ILO) as well as a number of United Nations organizations concerned with poverty reduction, development and counter-terrorism, and Ambassador Amin Malika, Ambassador of Egypt in Argentina and Ms. Randa Hamza, senior strategy expert in the Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation.
The Minister stressed that since the declaration of the Buenos Aires Action Plan (BAPA + 40), on the promotion of South-South technical cooperation, the countries of the global South have come a long way in promoting mutual cooperation and exchange of experiences. The Minister pointed out that countries can participate to put innovative and effective solutions characterized by low cost and enforceability with the common challenges facing the countries of the South. Furthermore, the Minister called to strengthen cooperation based on the shared values and mutual interests to support her efforts to achieve development.
The Minister explained that the exchange of development expertise between the countries through cooperation between North-South and South-South promotes capacities, increases the growth and introduces innovative ideas that support countries of the south and it gives the opportunity to the development partners to join the South-South initiatives and offers new opportunities for cooperation. This provides a combination of funding and transfer of expertise that did not exist before, contributing to the acquisition of skills and expertise by Southern partners to enable them to increase development.
The Minister stated that there is substantial evidence to show that South-South Cooperation is contributing to accelerating progress in achieving all 17 sustainable development goals.
The Minister pointed out to the importance of establishing centers of innovation and mechanisms for the exchange of expertise and successful experiences within the framework of technical cooperation among the countries of the South.
Mr. Jorge Moreira da Silva, of the Development Co-operation Directorate at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), emphasized the importance of the private sector participation in development through South-South cooperation initiatives.
Ms. Cornelia Richter, Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), pointed out that the fund is working with the countries of the South to address the challenges of climate change, poverty and hunger through sustainable agriculture mechanisms, pointing out that international institutions considered South-South cooperation together with the triple cooperation is a great opportunity to achieve results.
During the session, the representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) emphasized that decent and sustainable job opportunities were provided through support to South-South cooperation initiatives.
