Secretary-General Reaffirms Commitment to South-South Cooperation in Message to High-Level Meeting

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the High-Level Meeting on South-South and Triangular Cooperation, taking place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 17-18 May:

It is a pleasure to greet the participants in this high-level meeting on South-South and triangular cooperation.  I congratulate the Government of Bangladesh, current President of the United Nations High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation, for taking this timely initiative.  I am happy to note that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation are closely collaborating with Bangladesh for this event.

South-South Cooperation has always been a priority for the United Nations.  Over the years, the United Nations has served as a trusted partner in facilitating the sharing of tried and tested experiences, knowledge and technology between developing countries.  We are strongly committed to continuing that support.

The year 2015, featuring the adoption of a bold post-2015 development agenda, has the potential to be a milestone for humanity in its pursuit of a more prosperous, equitable, inclusive and sustainable world for all.  Success will require a renewed global partnership that unlocks support from many actors and many sectors.  The spirit of mutual respect and solidarity that has characterized South-South Cooperation since its earliest days can help reinvigorate and inspire a renewed global partnership for the post-2015 era.

Your meeting in Dhaka can provide a useful input to the major conferences that will take place this year.  I encourage you to explore how best to mobilize the ideas, resources and technology transfer that will be essential to achieve the sustainable development goals and usher in the transformation we seek.  Please accept my best wishes for a successful gathering.