Accomplishing the goals of the Paris Agreement requires a significant multilateral effort to support structural transformations in every economy and society, backed by a global investment push. Given the increasing challenges, including high debt burdens, limited fiscal space and increasingly volatile global economic conditions, South-South cooperation and regional integration are emerging as vital levers in advancing on climate goals, offering pathways for green structural transformation, affordable climate financing and climate-resilient development. While not a substitute for multilateralism, South-South cooperation has demonstrated resilience amid recent economic turbulence and represents a building block in reviving multilateral cooperation. As global solidarity and the multilateral climate regime face new challenges, there is a renewed urgent need to explore how developing countries can deepen cooperation, within and across regions, to drive transformative climate action.
Discussions at this event will explore the innovative partnerships that developing countries are forging to achieve low-carbon development paths through mutual learning, solidarity, and shared solutions. They will also showcase the work of UNCTAD in supporting cooperation for climate-resilient development, including climate finance, green industrial policy, and sustainable development strategies.
Programme
Opening remarks:
- Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
High-level panel and interactive discussion
Questions
- What are the greatest barriers facing climate-resilient development?
- What role does South–South cooperation have in revitalizing multilateralism?
- What are the most promising opportunities for mobilizing more resources for climate-resilient development?
- How can green industrial policy, including through regional cooperation, enable green structural transformation in developing countries?
- What further progress is necessary to bring the climate and development agendas into alignment?
Speakers:
- Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica
- Umid Abidhadjaev, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan
- Philip Fox-Drummond Gough, Secretary for Economic and Financial Affairs of Brazil
- Urujeni Bakuramutsa, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations in Geneva
- Yuefen Li, Special Advisor on Economics and Development Finance, South Centre, Geneva
Moderator:
- Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, Executive Director of IISD Europe
Kamina Johnson Smith is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica. Concurrently, she is Leader of Government Business in the Senate. Notably, Senator Johnson Smith is Jamaica's first female Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the first born after the nation's independence.
Minister Johnson Smith has, among other initiatives, chaired the CARIFORUM group in 2016-17, and in that capacity led the opening of discussions with the UK regarding post-Brexit trade arrangements. In 2018, she served as President of the ACP Council of Ministers and chaired the CARICOM Council of Foreign Ministers and was the first Jamaican Foreign Minister to attend G7 and G20 meetings. In 2019 she was appointed as President of Council of the International Seabed Authority.
Minister Johnson Smith has also worked with a wide range of bilateral and international development partners, supporting the attainment of Jamaica's sustainable development goals, as well as strengthening Jamaica's contribution to important global efforts to build peace and security, foster respect for human rights, and promote a strong and fair multilateral trading system.
Senator Johnson Smith is an Attorney-at-Law who worked previously in private practice and as corporate in-house counsel. She holds degrees from The University of the West Indies and the London School of Economics and Political Science and is a graduate of the Norman Manley Law School.
Minister Johnson Smith was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica and is married. She enjoys reading, yoga and jogging.
Mr. Pedro Manuel Moreno of Spain, is Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD.
He has over 20 years of experience of working for multilateral and intergovernmental organizations in programme, management and strategic positions both in the field and at headquarters.
He was Deputy Secretary-General of the Communication for Development Committee at the Spanish National Commission with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (1999-2004), and for the United Nations Development Programme, at the Country Office in Ecuador and, in New York City, as part of the Human Development Report team, at the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean and at the Executive Office.
In 2014, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Ibero-American Conference in Madrid, where he coordinated key political processes and South-South cooperation projects.
In September 2021, he was named Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of the Secretary-General of UNCTAD.
Dr. Umid Abidhadjaev is currently Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance and Director of the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. A position he has held since December 2024.
Previous positions include:
- Director of the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2021-2024)
- Deputy Director of the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2019-2021)
- Head of the analytical group for infrastructure projects under the Ministry of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2019)
- Research Associate of Keio University, Japan. (2018-2019)
- Project consultant focusing on infrastructure investments impact evaluation, Asian Development Bank Institute. (2017-2018)
- Adjunct-researcher at Keio University, Japan (2014-2017)
- Research Associate at the Asian Development Bank Institute. (2014-2016)
- Specialist of the first category, leading specialist of the Department of External and Public Relations of the State Property Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2009-2011)
Umid Abidhadjaev graduated from Tashkent Islamic University with a major in World Economy and International Economic Relations, and holds a Ph.D. in Development Economics and International Development from Keio University, Japan.
Urujeni Bakuramutsa, is currently Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Bakuramutsa had been serving as Ambassador of Rwanda to Jordan since December 2023. She served as Director of the Cabinet of the Office of the President of Rwanda from March 2020 to December 2023. She also held the post of Permanent Secretary at the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from October 2018 to March 2020.
Ms. Bakuramutsa served as Minister Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations in New York from October 2016 to October 2018. She was Director General of the Imbuto Foundation in Kigali from May 2014 to October 2016. She started her career working in the private sector, first in California, United States from November 2006 to December 2011, and then in Kigali, Rwanda from January 2012 to May 2014.
Ms. Bakuramutsa holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Sacramento State University in the United States.
Ambassador Philip Fox D Gough is currently Secretary of Economic and Financial Affairs of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs., a position he has held since May 2025.
Previously , he held the positions of Director of the Department of Economic Policy, Finance and Trade in Services (2023–2025) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of the Division for Market Access Negotiations (2007–2009), Director of the Department of Trade Negotiations (2022–2023), Director of the United States Department (2021–2022), Head of the Division of Economic and Trade Issues of Mercosur (2014–2016), and Head of the Division for Argentina and Uruguay (2013–2014)
In foreign postings, he served as Head of the Trade Policy Section at the Embassy of Brazil in the United States (2009–2010), Head of the Trade Promotion Section at the same Embassy (2010–2012), and as Minister-Counselor at the Brazilian Mission to the United Nations in New York (2016–2021). He also served at the Brazilian Mission to the World Trade Organization in Geneva (2000–2003) and at the Embassy of Brazil in Asunción, Paraguay (2003–2006)
Ambassador Fox-Drummond Gough holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in Economics from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and joined the Brazilian Foreign Service in 1994.
Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, LL.M, is IISD's Interim Co-President and Co-CEO, serving alongside Martha Casey in this role. Nathalie is also IISD’s Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe.
Nathalie leads major new initiatives across IISD’s programs, is the institute’s senior leader in Europe, and heads IISD’s Economic Law and Policy program. She is based out of IISD’s office in Geneva, Switzerland, and is IISD Europe’s representative in the Think Sustainable Europe network of think tanks.
Nathalie has extensive legal, policy, and training experience in the areas of public and private international law, trade, investment, sustainable development, human rights, international environmental law, and international dispute settlement. She has authored and edited several peer-reviewed publications and collections covering various facets of international law.
Additionally, Nathalie is a visiting professor on international investment law at the Geneva Graduate Institute and is the Vice-Chair of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Team of Specialists on Environmental, Social and Governance Traceability of Sustainable Value Chains in the Circular Economy.
Before joining IISD in 2009, Nathalie served as Managing Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in Geneva, after previously being based out of CIEL’s Washington, D.C. office. Earlier, she was a fellow at the International Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University Law Center and worked in Hanoi, Vietnam, for a legal reform project of the United Nations Development Programme. She previously worked at an Australian law firm and at the Swiss Department of Justice in the Section for International Law. In Switzerland, Nathalie is admitted to the Bar of Basel.
She is based in Geneva and is fluent in English, German, and French.
Yuefen Li is currently Special Advisor on Economics and Development Finance at the South Centre, Geneva, and Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights to the UN Human Rights Council.
She worked at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from 1990 to 2014 where she last was Head of the Debt and Development Finance Branch in the Division on Globalization and Development Strategies. She was also guest professor at Tsinghua University and two other universities in China. She has published books, papers and articles in professional journals and newspapers, and contributed extensively to UNCTAD and South Centre publications and documents.
She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Foreign Studies of China and Master's degree from the American Graduate School of International Management in the United States.
