The year 2024 marked significant advancements in the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) and digitalization agendas globally. Key milestones included: adoption of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) at the 2024 UN Summit of the Future, the UN General Assembly’s official proclamation of September 16 as the International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South and, the adoption of Africa’s Digital Compact by African Member States to harness digital technologies, foster innovation and ensure digital inclusivity. These initiatives build on ongoing efforts to harness STI for sustainable development, particularly in the Global South.
South-South and triangular cooperation are seen as catalysts and enablers for digital transformation within and among developing countries. The GDC for example recognizes the role of South-South and triangular cooperation in expanding inclusion in, and benefits from the digital economy. It also includes commitments to, among other things, encouraging cooperation among universities, research institutes and the private sector for accelerated digital knowledge development and access to research capacity. Member States have also called for enhanced demand-driven technology transfers, investments and capacity building through South-South and triangular cooperation, fostering knowledge exchanges that can cultivate a tech-savvy workforce to accelerate digital transformation for sustainable development in the Global South.
This enhanced digital transformation and greater access to digital technologies create more opportunities for cooperation, leveraging improved connectivity options and thus leading to increased South-South partnerships. In practice, South-South and triangular cooperation digital knowledge sharing platforms such as the UNOSSC’s South-South Galaxy – that features a thematic database on Digital Transformation which includes digitalization good practices, local solutions and knowledge products – are important examples of how digital technologies are being harnessed to facilitate development cooperation in a cost-effective and far-reaching manner.
Innovative solutions, leveraging STI tools and resources, are already emerging from within Africa in different sectors. For example, several African countries pioneered and have scaled up mobile money services and increased financial inclusion on the continent. STI innovations have also been leveraged in the agricultural sector in countries like South Africa and Kenya. Additionally, some countries within Africa – including Egypt, Rwanda and Mauritius – have advanced regulatory policies, strategies and plans to harness the benefits of a digital economy. Building on these proven African solutions and prioritizing intra-African South-South exchanges can leverage successful innovations and good practices to help countries leapfrog in their digital transformation journey and enhance cross-border digital integration.
South-South cooperation is driven by a spirit of solidarity toward mutual gains. Lessons and experiences from across the Global South can greatly contribute to the leapfrogging of Africa’s digital transformation. For example, while one of Africa’s digital transformation goals is developing a Digital Single Market (DSM), similar or related efforts exist in other Global South regions, including in Latin America and the Caribbean through the Digital Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean (eLAC2026), and in Southeast Asia through the ASEAN Digital Integration Framework. With support from development partners, stakeholders can engage in cross-regional South-South exchanges, enabling these regions to learn from each other’s experiences and strategies in digital market integration. Through triangular cooperation, the European Union for example, can be engaged to share their experiences and key lessons learnt in the development and implementation of their regional Digital Single Market.
In addition, the enhanced integration of Global South perspectives into global development discussions is increasingly important. South-South learning occurs through context-specific knowledge products that inform policy dialogues. For example, research on Rwanda’s digital trade facilitation efforts and their use of South-South and triangular cooperation partnerships in preparation for the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, provides valuable insights for other developing nations seeking to enhance their digital economies and trade capabilities. This approach not only showcases good practices but also facilitates partnerships and promotes the adaptation of proven strategies across the Global South, fostering innovation and sustainable development.
Moving forward, to fully leverage South-South and triangular cooperation for Africa’s digital transformation, multistakeholder partnerships are necessary. For a more inclusive and effective approach to digital development across the continent, South-South and triangular collaborative efforts could focus on:
- Co-creating and disseminating context-specific digitalization knowledge products.
- Identifying and elevating local solutions and good practices on digitalization from African countries and other Global South regions.
- Facilitating peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing on digital transformation at national, intra-, and cross-regional levels.
- Informing policy dialogues with South-South and triangular cooperation data, knowledge products, and solutions to support the development of regulatory policies for digital transformation.
