Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly
—-
High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation
(As delivered)
Ambassador [Peter Mohan Maithri] Pieris, Chair of the High-Level Committee
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear Colleagues,
It is a great honor to be here with you today at the opening of the thematic discussion of the High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation.
Over the last few years, the world, particularly the Global South, has experienced rapid and, at times, tumultuous changes unlike any other period in history.
Many countries are grappling with numerous daunting challenges, including food and energy crises, unprecedented debt burdens, climate emergency, conflicts, and the compounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the other hand, tectonic changes at unprecedented scales are happening as we speak.
The demographic balance in the world is quickly tilting to the direction of the Global South.
So is the economic weight of the countries of The South in the global balance.
If we look at the rise of new patents, the number of new enterprises or the favourable age composition of your countries, the availability of natural resources, it is easy to predict that more and more centres of the global economy and social dynamism will emerge in the so-called Global South.
The trends in the international trade are also indicating these early changes thought they are still far from predictable potentials.
When it comes to capital flows, their dynamics among your countries are higher than the global average.
And we know that the reforms of IFIs could give additional impetus to this dynamism.
It is not difficult to foresee that a new world order is emerging on the horizon.
The more traditional North-South trading, technological, industrial and scientific cooperation is being edited by a rapidly growing South-South dimension.
It is particularly important for all of us to understand that these dimensions should not be tools of geopolitical rivalry.
They could be. But there is no need for it.
The other way around, it would be a strategic mistake.
They are natural components of a future multipolar global order.
The sustainability transformation, Member States, you have agreed upon, does foresee competition but not a zero-sum game adverse relationship.
Neither in the North nor in the South, East or West.
For the time being, the emerging forms of South-South cooperation are still struggling with some difficulties of their rapid evolution.
But in the long-run, this multiple cooperation has the potential to become a beacon of successful sustainability transformation.
The South-South and triangular Cooperation will be powerful drivers of progress and resilience.
The innovative collaborations forged among nations in the Global South continue to yield impressive results, transforming lives of communities.
As outline in the Buenos Aires Programme Action (BAPA+40) outcome document, the UN System has also a key role to play to foster and promote South-South and triangular cooperation.
Strengthening institutional arrangements at the UN and enhancing coherence and coordination among UN agencies, funds and programs, are powerful drivers for consolidating cooperation mechanisms in the Global South.
As we prepare for the upcoming SDG Summit in September, and the Summit of the Future in 2024, we must think beyond traditional approaches.
The High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation plays a crucial role in this regard.
By promoting knowledge sharing, facilitating technology transfer, and mobilizing financial resources, the Committee has the potential to transform the lives of people we serve.
In the words of Moroccan wisdom, “There is no beauty but the beauty of action.”
I am confident that this session of the High-Level Committee will serve as a catalyst for transformative action, accelerating our progress towards the SDGs and improving the lives of people around the world.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
