High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation to Convene 22nd Session in May 2025
The Organizational Meeting of the High-level Committee met on 24 April 2025.
The 22nd session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation will take place from 27 to 30 May 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session is a critical platform for reviewing progress on key global frameworks, including the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, the New Directions Strategy, the Nairobi outcome document of the High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation and the Buenos Aires outcome document of the second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40).
Held at a time of mounting global challenges, the session will explore how South-South and triangular cooperation can serve as powerful vehicles for transformative development.
The Thematic Discussion will focus on “Accelerating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: South-South Cooperation as a Driver for Transformation,” with an emphasis on the role of Science, Technology, and Innovation – particularly the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence – in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Organizational Meeting of the High-level Committee
The Organizational Meeting of the High-level Committee met on 24 April 2025 to elect the Bureau of the session. Mr. Vithanage Chatura Jeevake Perera, Charge d’Affaires of Sri Lanka, handed over the presidency of the Committee to H.E. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations. Mr. Perera noted the contributions of Ambassador Peter Mohan Maithri Pieris, who as President of the 21st session prioritized the raising of the profile and effectiveness of the High-level Committee, specifically highlighting the timely debt and climate justice dialogues.
Delegations expressed sincere appreciation to the outgoing Bureau of the 21st Session, led by Ambassador Pieris, and supported by H.E. Mr. Dmitry S. Chumakov (Russian Federation), Ms. Joselyne Kwishaka (Burundi), Mr. Cimino Diego Antonino and Ms. Daniela Tonon (Italy), and Ms. Kereeta Whyte (Barbados).
The Vice-Presidents elected to the 22nd session include Mrs. Eleonora Betancur Gonzalez (Colombia), Mr. Duarte Valente (Portugal), and Mrs. Jelena Plakalović (Serbia).
“South-South cooperation is more vital than ever to achieving our shared aspirations for sustainable development, resilience, and solidarity among nations of the Global South,” said H.E. Omar Hilale. He underscored that this is a crucial moment for developing countries to lead their own development trajectories, emphasizing South-South cooperation’s foundation in solidarity and mutual support.
UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu emphasized the High-level Committee’s critical importance to the work of UNDP. He described the 22nd session as an opportunity to deepen solidarity and advance multilateral action in response to today’s pressing global issues. “It will also advance collective efforts towards realizing the Pact for the Future and its annexes, the Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries, the new Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries, and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS – all critical frameworks supporting our global commitment to the SDGs and leaving no one behind,” Xu said.
Mr. Xu reaffirmed UNDP’s strong commitment to supporting Member States in expanding South-South and triangular cooperation at national, regional, and global levels. “In 2023 and 2024 alone, UNDP facilitated 700 South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives addressing a broad spectrum of development priorities,” he noted.
UNOSSC Director Dima Al-Khatib highlighted the session’s significance amid a rapidly evolving development landscape marked by economic uncertainty, climate stress, and limited fiscal space. “South-South and triangular cooperation will be more important than ever,” she noted, pointing to their role in fostering collective action, mutual learning, and scalable, cost-effective development solutions.
With global attention increasingly turning to innovative partnerships and inclusive, localized solutions, the 22nd session of the High-level Committee offers a unique moment to align efforts across the UN system and position South-South cooperation as a cornerstone of sustainable development efforts worldwide.
?? Please visit the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, 22nd Session page for the latest information on the session.
“South-South cooperation is more vital than ever to achieving our shared aspirations for sustainable development, resilience, and solidarity among nations of the Global South,” said H.E. Omar Hilale. He underscored that this is a crucial moment for developing countries to lead their own development trajectories, emphasizing South-South cooperation’s foundation in solidarity and mutual support.
UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu emphasized the High-level Committee’s critical importance to the work of UNDP. He described the 22nd session as an opportunity to deepen solidarity and advance multilateral action in response to today’s pressing global issues. “It will also advance collective efforts towards realizing the Pact for the Future and its annexes, the Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries, the new Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries, and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS – all critical frameworks supporting our global commitment to the SDGs and leaving no one behind,” Xu said.
Mr. Xu reaffirmed UNDP’s strong commitment to supporting Member States in expanding South-South and triangular cooperation at national, regional, and global levels. “In 2023 and 2024 alone, UNDP facilitated 700 South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives addressing a broad spectrum of development priorities,” he noted.
UNOSSC Director Dima Al-Khatib highlighted the session’s significance amid a rapidly evolving development landscape marked by economic uncertainty, climate stress, and limited fiscal space. “South-South and triangular cooperation will be more important than ever,” she noted, pointing to their role in fostering collective action, mutual learning, and scalable, cost-effective development solutions.
With global attention increasingly turning to innovative partnerships and inclusive, localized solutions, the 22nd session of the High-level Committee offers a unique moment to align efforts across the UN system and position South-South cooperation as a cornerstone of sustainable development efforts worldwide.
?? Please visit the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, 22nd Session page for the latest information on the session.
