South-South cooperation | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

We help countries in the global south harness the opportunities to trade and exchange resources, technology and knowledge between them.

News

A grapsh showing the surge in trade policity uncertainty

Trade tensions and rising uncertainty drag global economy towards recession

UNCTAD expects global growth to slow to 2.3% this year as trade and economic policy uncertainty erode business and investor confidence.

An image of lorries and containers in a port in Bangladesh

Global economy under pressure could slow to 2.3%, signals UN Trade and Development

Stronger policy coordination and regional trade are urgently needed, with the world economy on a recessionary trajectory, driven by escalating trade tensions and persistent uncertainty.

From Cambodia to Peru: G77 and China changes hands in Geneva

From Cambodia to Peru: G77 and China chair changes hands in Geneva

Peru assumed the G77 and China chairmanship in Geneva from Cambodia as the coalition of developing nations faces cascading trade and development challenges and prepares for the 16th UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16).

Yantian International Container Terminal, Shenzhen, China.

The reshaping of global trade: How developing countries can strategize

A continued slump in goods trade. An evolving technological landscape. The Global South is gaining weight. A rethink of development strategies is both timely and timeless.

Featured podcast

Southbound traffic: Giselle Datz on the shifts in global trade

The Weekly Tradecast looks at the trends in South-South trade – along with some challenges on the horizon – with Giselle Datz, an expert in the global political economy at Virginia Tech.

Recent publications

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Manual for the framework to measure South–South cooperation

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Trade and Development Report 2024

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South-South trade in the marine fisheries and aquaculture sectors

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China’s policy strategies for green low-carbon development: Perspective from South-South cooperation

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The role of China’s pilot free trade zones in promoting institutional innovation, industrial transformation and South-South cooperation

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South-South cooperation for climate adaptation and sustainable development

More publications

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South-South trade

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Global System of Trade Preferences

Projects

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Green Transformation in Latin America

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South-South cooperation to finance the SDGs

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Resilient, Green and Transformative Development in Asian Belt and Road Countries

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Promoting economic diversification and resilience in Barbados

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Developing programmes to build productive capacities and enhance linkages with China

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Development policies for sustainable economic growth in Southern Africa

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South-South Integration and the SDGs

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Events and Meetings

South-South Data to support sustainable development for all

10 – 11 June 2025

UNSC Side Event: The first ever South-South data for SDGs – developed and reported by the countries of the global South: How to support the statistical work?

17 February 2025

New York, United States of America

Namibia National Workshop on Quantifying South-South Cooperation

11 – 12 February 2025

Swakopmund, Namibia

Nigeria National Workshop on Quantifying South-South Cooperation

17 – 19 December 2024

Multi-year Expert Meeting on Enhancing the Enabling Economic Environment at All Levels in Support of Inclusive and Sustainable Development, and the Promotion of Economic Integration and Cooperation, seventh session

28 November 2024

Geneva, Switzerland

XXXII meeting of directors of international cooperation agencies of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

27 – 28 November 2024

Documents and Publications

Harnessing regional integration and green industrial policy for enhancing sustainable development in Latin America

UNCTAD Policy Brief No. 118

UNCTAD/PRESS/PB/2025/1 - 26 Feb 2025

English

Manual for the framework to measure South–South cooperation

Technical and procedural aspects for pilot testing

UNCTAD/TCS/STAT/INF/2025/1 - 25 Feb 2025

English

Report of the Multi-year Expert Meeting on Enhancing the Enabling Economic Environment at All Levels in Support of Inclusive and Sustainable Development, and the Promotion of Economic Integration and Cooperation, on its seventh session

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, 28 November 2024

TD/B/C.I/MEM.8/20 - 20 Dec 2024

Trade and Development Report 2024 (Overview)

UNCTAD/TDR/2023 (Overview) - 29 Oct 2024

Contact

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