South-South Co-operation - Istanbul Programme of Action

The Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 (IPoA) recognised that countries of the Global South working together was crucial to unlocking progress on issues like health, education, agriculture, the environment, and trade. 

Access to new technologies was identified as a key driver of change. To help deliver on that promise, the Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries was founded in Turkey in 2017, marking the first completion of a Sustainable Development Goal (target 17.8).

Since then, LDCs have collaborated with other Southern partners beyond the category to mobilize much-needed development finance, improve their infrastructure and expand export markets. 

Image source: https://www.un.org/desa