International Day for South-South Cooperation is a holiday that demonstrates solidarity among the countries and peoples of the Global South. This global partnership allows partner nations to come together and exchange ideas on how they can support each other in the political, social, cultural, technical, and, most importantly, economic arenas.

This holiday commemorates the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries. It is held annually on September 12th and has been observed for years.

The History of International Day for South-South Cooperation

In 1978, the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (BAPA) was adopted by 138 UN member states. In 2020, the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation was founded to commemorate this day and to encourage member states of the Global South to work together in mutually beneficial ways.

The Objectives of South-South Cooperation:

Below are the objectives of this holiday and what the UN is trying to achieve with the observance of this day every year.

• Strengthen the self-reliance of developing countries by helping them find creative solutions.
• Promote the exchange of ideas and technologies across developing nations.
• Recognize the unique problems that each country faces, such as lack of water access or being landlocked.

Observing International Day for South-South Cooperation

On this day, member states are encouraged to work together to solve common problems. This is done through seminars and workshops, festivals, think tanks, and other projects. The hashtag #SouthSouthCooperation is used on social media to spread the word about this holiday.