Roundtable II
Sub regional, Regional and Inter-regional perspectives on
South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development
March 24, Bogota, Colombia 2010
Presenting Case Stories By:
Barefoot College
Co-Organizing Institutions
Organization of American States (OAS), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Conceptual overview and main focus
South-South cooperation entails collaboration among peers, where “South” countries with similar
challenges and development environments establish arrangements based on mutual trust to
cooperate. The goal of the cooperation would be to adapt and transfer best practices and lessons
learned while addressing traditional obstacles to cooperation such as the free-rider syndrome and
lack of coordination. Trust provides the right environment for overcoming coordination problems
while transferability and knowledge sharing creates opportunities to multiply the value added
from cooperation.
South-South practices are considered by some an alternative approach mechanism for
cooperation, and have been part of the “South” countries’ agendas for the past 60 years. Its
contribution has been underestimated and undervalued due to the lack of a common operational
framework among participating actors, and is still part of the overall challenge.
Collaboration among multiple actors, the fact that these actors are partners engaged in horizontal
cooperation, and the use of a collective action approach fosters multi-country SSC and CD in the
form of sub regional, regional and inter-regional cooperation. The fresh perspective provided by
SSC under this sub regional, regional and inter-regional modality of cooperation boosts trust
among the peer actors and the sharing/transferring of knowledge.
The purpose of this Round Table II of the HLE Colombia 2010 is to explore sub regional, regional
and inter-regional cooperation successful experiences where collective action led to innovation
and value added results. The RT focus will highlight the importance of capacity development and
development effectiveness approaches in order to ensure impact and results in the partnering
countries. Particular attention will be given to experiences that demonstrate strengthening
capacity for governance and decision-making by country partners, and the participation of
partners in triangular cooperation arrangements. Governance by the countries is one of the key
characteristics that differentiate multilateral north-south from multilateral south-south
cooperation.
The partnership arrangements of SSC could take different cooperation modalities. The multiple
actors in sub regional, regional and inter-regional cooperation could include bilateral and
multilateral actors such as regional banks, international organizations, international financial
institutions, transnational NGOs, Further, philanthropic organizations and the private sector both
with national and multinational scope could participate in regional SSC as well. Even northern
countries and regular donors could have an active participation of this modality. Nonetheless, it is
the “South” countries (represented both by government institutions and civil society) that would
have the lead in this multi-stakeholders arrangements.
High Level Event on South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development
Round Table II: Sub regional, Regional and Inter-regional perspectives on SSC and CD
Bogota, Colombia, March 24, 2010
Key Questions
1. What kind of value added do arrangements of south-south cooperation with multistakeholder provide at the sub-regional, regional and inter-regional level?
- On a technical level (capacity building, knowledge exchange)?
- On an institutional level (policies, national agenda)?
2. How to deal with the barriers associated with cooperation among a large number of
partners and the “cost” of incorporating in the “South” countries’ agenda.
3. How are decision made in multi-stakeholder SSC? How to ensure that decisions are
demand driven?
- What is the role of the countries’ national cooperation authorities/ actors?
- Is political will a requirement for the governance of SSC?
4. Which is the role of the partners in triangular cooperation? How to maximize positive
inputs from these partners?
- What resources, technologies, commitments, are key in structuring triangular
cooperation?
- What are the best input/practices exchange and dissemination tools-mechanisms-fora?
Case Story Summary
Trifinio Region Promotion of the Management of Water as a Regional Public Good in the Upper
Lempa River Basin (ULRB)
This initiative seeks to develop and promote tri-national mechanisms for integrated and
sustainable water management as a regional public good in the Upper Lempa River Basin (ULRB)
by promoting strong horizontal cooperation among the participating countries –El Salvador,
Guatemala and Honduras. The project involved three components: the generation and
management of information on water resources, human resource training in water management,
and tri-national institutions for water management.
Participating Countries (Recipients and Providers)
El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras
Panelist: Mr. Julian Muñoz, Tri-national Executive Secretary for the Trifinio Plan
Website: www.sica.int/trifinio/
High Level Event on South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development
Round Table II: Sub regional, Regional and Inter-regional perspectives on SSC and CD
Bogota, Colombia, March 24, 2010
Barefoot College
Barefoot College trains rural, illiterate and semi-literate women (both mothers and grandmothers)
to fabricate, install, maintain, and repair fixed individual home lighting systems with solar lanterns
for off-grid electrification. Participants from developing countries (mostly in Africa) are trained in
six months at the Barefoot College campus in Tilonia, Rajasthan. Air fare and 6 months training
costs are covered by the Government of India. After completing the course, with funds from
private foundations and SGP (UNDP) solar equipment is shipped to their villages where it is used
to electrify the whole village. These are the first technically and financially full solar electrified
villages in Africa.
Participating Countries (Recipients and Providers)
India, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Mali, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana,
Kenya, Namibia, Mauritania, Uganda, Benin, Malawi, Rwanda, Bolivia, Siberia (Russia),
Mozambique, Djibouti, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Tchad.
Panelist
Mr. Sanjit Bunker Roy, Founder and Direct, Barefoot College
Website: www.barefootcollege.org
African Peer Review Mechanism
The APRM is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the Member States of the
African Union (AU) as an African self-monitoring mechanism. The APRM is designed as a
mechanism whereby countries voluntarily “open their books” to be examined within a formal
structure according to established guidelines. Teams of African experts in various spheres will
assess and critique the countries’ governance performance, based on a number of key indicators
in four thematic areas namely: political governance, economic governance, corporate governance
and socio-economic development. Participation in the APRM is open to all member states of the
African Union and it is of general consensus among African countries that peer pressure in
objective manner generates positive outcomes.
Participating Countries (Recipients and Providers)
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya,
Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of Congo,
Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo,
Uganda and Zambia.
Panelist
Dr. Afeikhena Jerome, Coordinator, Economic Governance and Management, APRM Secretariat.
Website: www.aprm-international.org
Speakers Co-Organizing Institutions
Ambassador Alfonso Quiñonez, Secretary for Integral Development, OAS
Mr. Asda Jayanama, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Head of Delegates, Thailand
Mrs. Laura Bocalandro, Regional Public Goods Program Coordinator, IDB
High Level Event on South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development
Round Table II: Sub regional, Regional and Inter-regional perspectives on SSC and CD
Bogota, Colombia, March 24, 2010