At the Extended Bureau Meeting of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, leaders called for stronger institutions, better data, sustainable financing and practical partnerships to meet a changing development landscape.
In Santa Marta, Colombia, against the backdrop of a world facing tighter development financing, deepening climate pressures and rapid technological change, South-South and triangular cooperation were framed not as secondary instruments of development, but as central tools for a new era of international cooperation.
From 6 to 8 May 2026, Colombia’s international cooperation agency, APC-Colombia, under the leadership of Alexandra Palencia Garnica Vice-President of the twenty-second session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, hosted an Extended Bureau Meeting of the High-level Committee that brought together more than 100 participants, including government representatives, United Nations entities, civil society, academia, private sector actors and development partners.
The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, as substantive secretariat of the High-level Committee, provided technical and substantive support throughout the meeting.
UNOSSC Director, Dima Al-Khatib, helped set the tone from the outset, delivering opening remarks in Spanish and English and placing the discussions within the wider shifts now reshaping development cooperation. She underscored that developing countries are no longer only recipients of support, but providers of knowledge, expertise, innovation and practical solutions.
In a global context marked by pressure on multilateralism, declining development finance and urgent climate and digital transitions, Director Al-Khatib emphasized that South-South and triangular cooperation remain complementary to North-South cooperation, while offering distinct strengths: country ownership, mutual benefit, solidarity and responsiveness to national priorities.
H.E. Ambassador Omar Hilale of Morocco, President of the 22nd High-level Committee bureau, helped anchor the discussions in the Committee’s intergovernmental mandate and future direction. His announcement that Morocco intends to establish, in partnership with UNOSSC, a Group of Friends of South-South and Triangular Cooperation added a forward-looking dimension to the meeting. Envisioned as an open and informal platform, the initiative would support dialogue, strategic reflection and collaboration on the future of South-South and triangular cooperation within the United Nations system.
That message of translating principles to practical actions ran through the three days.
Director Al-Khatib presented the UNOSSC Strategic Framework 2026-2029, including the proposed Global Alliance for South-South and Triangular Cooperation. The Global Alliance was introduced as a voluntary, non-binding and multi-stakeholder platform designed to connect national development cooperation agencies, United Nations entities, multilateral institutions, academia, the private sector and other partners around practical solutions, knowledge exchange and partnership facilitation.
Participants welcomed the demand-driven nature of the Global Alliance and its potential use of digital and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to strengthen connections among development partners. At the same time, discussions emphasized the importance of complementarity with existing platforms, streamlined governance and continued guidance by Member States.
The Santa Marta meeting also looked ahead to the intergovernmental review of the outcome document of BAPA+40. Co-facilitators Iraq and Bulgaria briefed participants on the proposed scope and timeline of the process. For many delegations, the review was seen as an opportunity not merely to reaffirm commitments, but to assess progress, identify gaps and sharpen practical recommendations for implementation.
A common theme emerged: the challenge is no longer proving that South-South and triangular cooperation matter. The challenge is scaling and sustaining what works.
That point came through forcefully in the climate action and resilience session moderated by Director Al-Khatib. She framed the discussion around the growing gap between adaptation needs and available finance, noting that developing countries face mounting climate risks while development resources are under strain. Participants shared examples from Latin America, Africa and Asia, including mangrove conservation, ecosystem preservation, bamboo cultivation, disaster risk reduction and regional cooperation initiatives.
Discussion pointed to four priorities: anchoring cooperation in national policy frameworks; clarifying the roles and comparative advantages of partners; documenting lessons and good practices more systematically; and building flexible, multi-level alliances capable of sustaining action and financing over time.
Other sessions explored innovative finance, data and measurement, and the evolving role of triangular cooperation. Participants highlighted the need for predictable financing, stronger national statistical systems, better monitoring frameworks and more inclusive partnerships. Data was repeatedly described as a strategic asset for the Global South – essential not only for reporting, but for evidence-based policymaking, accountability and visibility.
The meeting also gave particular attention to least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and middle-income countries. Their development realities – from debt vulnerabilities and food insecurity to technology gaps and limited access to finance – underscored the need for cooperation approaches that are flexible, practical and grounded in national contexts.
Beyond formal sessions, Director Al-Khatib held bilateral meetings with key partners, including APC-Colombia, the International Forum on TOSSD and Uruguay’s cooperation leadership. These exchanges advanced discussions on triangular cooperation data, institutional capacity-building, possible collaboration with academia, CELAC-ASEAN engagement and early participation in the proposed Global Alliance.
Santa Marta offered participants a strategic bridge between today’s development pressures and the next phase of global South-South cooperation.
The message was clear: as we move toward the intergovernmental review of the outcome document of BAPA+40, South-South and triangular cooperation can be better measured, better financed, more deeply institutionalized and more effectively connected to country priorities. In Santa Marta, that agenda gained both political direction and practical momentum.
