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

UN Trade and Development Insights newsletter

UNCTAD launches Insights – trusted data and analysis straight to your inbox

Subscribe to get UN Trade and Development expert insight on today’s most pressing issues in a fast-moving global economic landscape.

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).

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

Publication cover image

Manual for the framework to measure South–South cooperation

Publication cover image

Trade and Development Report 2024

Publication cover image

South-South trade in the marine fisheries and aquaculture sectors

Publication cover image

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

Publication cover image

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

Publication cover image

South-South cooperation for climate adaptation and sustainable development

More publications

Featured video

South-South trade

Programme image

Global System of Trade Preferences

Projects

Project image

Green Transformation in Latin America

Project image

South-South cooperation to finance the SDGs

Project image

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

Project image

Promoting economic diversification and resilience in Barbados

Project image

Developing programmes to build productive capacities and enhance linkages with China

Project image

Development policies for sustainable economic growth in Southern Africa

Project image

South-South Integration and the SDGs

Search all projects

Events and Meetings

FFD4 side event: South-South data for development - starting a new chapter

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

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

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

For further information on this topic,
please contact us.