A new initiative that will build partnerships that help developing countries to assist other developing countries implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Development Agenda was launched in New York by the United Nations in the margins of last week’s Climate Signing event.

The Southern Climate Partnership Incubator (SCPI), a new initiative of the Secretary-General will foster partnerships among the Global South in the areas of renewable energy, climate resilience, smart cities and big data application.

“South-South cooperation is crucial,” said the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the launch of the initiative. “This Incubator will focus on renewable energy, smart cities, big data and climate resilience. I encourage you to learn more and participate.”

The new initiative was launched in conjunction with the signature ceremony of the historic Paris Agreement on April 22 at UN headquarter in New York, where leaders and high-ranking officials from 175 countries signed the agreement.

Representatives from member states highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation on climate change and welcomed this new initiative.

Xie Zhenhua, China’s Special Representative on Climate Change welcomed the Secretary-General’s efforts on South-South cooperation and the new initiative in particular. He noted that China was ready to work with all UN Agencies and Member States in the field of South-South cooperation.

Maldives Minister Thoriq Ibrahim stressed the essential role of South-South Cooperation for development and the development of partnerships with a variety of stakeholders.  Thailand’s UN Virachai Plasai, speaking on behalf of G77, said South-South and Triangular cooperation was “dear to the heart of the Group” and showed great interests in the Secretary-General’s new initiative. He also stressed solidarity, ownership, country-driven process, and cooperation for mutual benefits, as the essence of south-south cooperation.

The newly elected President of the nineteenth session of High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, Dr. Richard Nduhuura, called on all relevant partners to support the new initiative.

Senior representatives from a range of groups attending the launch identified action on climate change as an essential prerequisite for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and highlighted the importance of south-south cooperation to tackle climate change. They also discussed how key stakeholders, including the UN can work together to develop and strengthen these partnerships, and provided specific substantive examples from their experience.

Dr. David Nabarro, Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, stressed that enhanced cooperation between developing countries will be critical to achieve sustainable development and address climate change and welcomed the leadership of major developing countries in promoting South-South Cooperation on climate change, and underlined that promoting South-South cooperation on climate change is one of the Secretary-General’s key pillars on climate action.

Many UN agencies, including ILO, UNEP, UNDP, UNDESA, UNIDO and UNFCCC, expressed their support for SG’s new initiative, with many organizations already taking actions that are supporting south-south cooperation. Civil society groups, represented by Oxfam and South Center, also noted with huge interests to support and partner with SCPI for implementation. They emphasized the essence of the platform for multi-stakeholder participation, and highly recommended the civil society groups to be included in the process.

The SCPI initiative will be jointly implemented by the United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary-General, and the United Nations Office of South-South Cooperation, in cooperation with other members of the UN system and the wider stakeholder community.

For more information, please contact Dan Shepard, UN Department of Public Information, email shepard@un.org; tel 1 212-963-9495