SS Policy

This focus area offers a platform to support policy development and dialogue, and follow-up to
major intergovernmental conferences, with a particular emphasis on mainstreaming South-South
cooperation as a driver of development effectiveness.
The Evolution of Policy Making - Key Milestones

The concept of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC) has evolved since
its definition in the Buenos Aires Plan of Action, in 1975. The outcomes of the High Level
Committee (HLC) meetings since 1980 have guided the focus of our work. In the timeline below,
you can browse through the major resolutions and references of the history of policy making for
South-South Cooperation.

Year: Outcome Highlights: Related Resources:

XIV HLC 2005 Endorsement of the 3rd Cooperation Framework. Report of the High-level
Committee on South-South Cooperation A/60/39 and List of Participants.
XIII HLC 2003 From TCDC to South-South Cooperation: the need to include ECDC on the
SU/TCDC agenda. HLC/TCDC 13/2
2001

* Defined five main objectives for work focus. Consolidating South-South platform.
* Building stronger South institutions at the global level.
* Bridging the knowledge and information gap.
* Building broad-based partnerships.
* Mobilizing global support for South-South cooperation.

Bridging knowledge and information gap is one of the five main objectives of TCDC
established by the Tehran Consensus by the G-77.
2001

* Greater collaboration and coordination between United Nations Agencies Focal points is
decided in an effort to promote South-South cooperation.
* Decision to systematize the documentation and dissemination of successful practices of
South-South cooperation, strengthening information systems and databases of the United
Nations system.

Report of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation Meeting Minutes UN

Inter-Agency Meeting final report, June 2001.
XII HLC 2001

* Defined the need for: Catalyzing the development of the Least Developed Countries and their
economic independence by focusing TCDC projects on reducing the technological gap.
* Increasing the awareness on the Voluntary Trust Fund to attract greater volume of resources.

Report of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation HLC/TCDC 12/5 final

report
XI HLC 1999

* Defined the need for: HLC enhances the concept that South-South Cooperation should be
viewed as a complement, not a substitute for North-South Cooperation.
* The session also reiterated the Buenos Aires Plan of Action recommendation for giving
priority to the use of local capabilities and expertise in developing countries or the use of technical
resources from other developing countries.

X HLC 1997
 * 1997 HLC proposes the revised Guidelines for the Review of Policies and Procedures
concerning TCDC to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly in 1998, aiming at:
* Better incorporation of TCDC in the United Nations agencies' programs and projects in all
aspects of funding, focal points, disseminating information, building strategies etc.
* Promotion of triangular cooperation and dissemination of best practices in South-South
technical and economic cooperation.

Report of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation Report Meeting on

TCDC Pivotal Countries
1995

* Creation of a Voluntary Trust Fund for South-South cooperation called upon by the United
Nations General Assembly
* Endorsement of the TCDC new directions Resolution 50/119

The Trust Fund for the promotion of TCDC was established within the UNDP. The first
countries to contribute to it were Japan, the Republic of Korea and Ireland.
IX HLC 1995

* The "new directions" policy based on the new challenges facing the developing countries
posed by the emerging economic order set: Adoption of a more strategic orientation for TCDC,
focused on high priority areas.
* Definition of a number of developing countries as "pivotal countries" or catalysts for the
promotion of regional and interregional TCDC.
* Operational integration between technical and economic cooperation among developing
countries.

TCDC new directions given by the High Level Committee and endorsed by the United
Nations General Assembly Concept of pivotal countries. Preliminary study report prepared by
UNDP's TCDC.
ECOSOC 1992 Support from the ECOSOC to the development of TCDC. The ECOSOC invites
all of its parties to give "first consideration to the use of the modality of technical cooperation
among developing countries" to ensure that it gets more widespread. Resolutions and
Decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council.
II HLC 1981 Definition of criteria for the design of TCDC projects within the UNDP and other
UN organizations - policies, rules and procedures and sources of funding. HLC Decision
on criteria for TCDC Projects Decision 2/9 dated June 7, 1981.
I HLC 1980

* Developing countries are invited to create national focal points or other appropriate
mechanisms to enhance TCDC.
* A national focal point - whether it is an individual, an inter-ministerial committee, a
development agency - has to be supported by the government to handle all TCDC matters.

HLC decision on TCDC Focal Points, decision 1/1, 2 June 1980. Creation of the Focal
Points concept - can be an individual, an inter-ministerial committee, an agency.
1980

* Creation of the "High Level Committee on the review of Technical Cooperation Among
Developing Countries" by the United Nations general Assembly.
* The HLC should meet every two years according to the Buenos Aires Plan of Action.

Resolution 35/202 dated December 16, 1980

1978 The United Nations General Assembly endorses Buenos Aires Plan of Action.
Resolution 33/134, December 19, 1978
1978

* Release of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for promoting and implementing TCDC.
* Defining TCDC’s focus on the purpose of increasing the capacity of the developing countries
and their awareness and confidence in their capabilities.
* Reinforcement of the role of UNDP's Special Unit for TCDC.

Buenos Aires Plan of Action 38 recommendations

1974

* Creation of UNDP's Special Unit for TCDC endorsed by the United Nations General
Assembly.
* Beginning of the studies and analyses focused on TCDC issues and carried on within the
United Nations Development System and on the interregional and national levels.

Resolution 3251(XXIX) (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3)