14-09-202674
A problem that emerges in one country today may affect the development of an entire region tomorrow. Water scarcity, climate change, food security challenges and digital inequality do not stop at national borders. For countries with limited financial and technological capacity, developing a solution from scratch can be especially costly: it consumes time and resources and may lead them to repeat mistakes already made elsewhere. Adapting an approach that has worked in one country to the local conditions of another is therefore more than a cost-saving measure. It offers a way to address problems more quickly and make prudent use of available resources.
This need lies at the heart of South–South cooperation. It is based on the exchange of knowledge, experience, technology, investment and proven solutions among developing countries. Under this model, one country does not remain a permanent provider of assistance while another is confined to the role of recipient. Each side contributes to the common effort in line with its own needs, knowledge and capabilities.
This approach is directly linked to Sustainable Development Goal 17 — Partnerships for the Goals. In particular, the Goal calls for stronger South–South cooperation in science, technology and innovation, broader knowledge-sharing and stronger national capacity in developing countries. Only by combining financial resources, knowledge and technology can a solution that has proved effective in one country become a practical tool for addressing a specific problem in another.
The date of 12 September holds a special place in the history of South–South cooperation. On that day in 1978, representatives of 138 countries gathered in Buenos Aires and agreed on a central principle: developing countries should not simply wait for solutions to come from abroad, but should also mobilize their own knowledge and capabilities. The Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries was subsequently adopted. It identified specific areas of cooperation, including specialist training, the exchange of knowledge and technology, and the strengthening of national capacity. The United Nations later designated 12 September as the United Nations Day for South–South Cooperation.
In 2026, the Day is being observed under the theme “Solidarity Rising: Global Alliance for Inclusive and Innovative Development.” The idea is straightforward: effective solutions already exist in different parts of the world. The main task is to connect them, mobilize the necessary partnerships and resources, and expand their practical application.
Uzbekistan also views South–South cooperation as a way for countries to work together in addressing specific challenges. At the online Voice of Global South Summit on 12 January 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed creating an information bank of green technologies and innovations for the Global South with the support of the world’s leading countries. Such a database would broaden opportunities to identify and effectively use proven solutions in renewable energy, water conservation and climate adaptation.
At the BRICS Plus Summit on 24 October 2024, the President emphasized the need to improve global governance institutions and expand responsible dialogue in South–South and North–South formats. This approach shows that, for Uzbekistan, the effectiveness of cooperation is measured not only by the number of conferences held, but also by whether knowledge and technology are translated into practical projects and whether those projects bring tangible changes to people’s lives.
The economic weight of South–South ties is even clearer in the figures. According to UN Trade and Development, merchandise trade among developing economies amounted to $7.2 trillion in 2025. This was 17.2 per cent higher than in 2024. The share of South–South trade in global merchandise trade rose from 11 per cent in 2000 to 28 per cent in 2025.
These figures show that developing countries are no longer peripheral participants in global trade; they are becoming an increasingly important part of it. Yet trade volume alone does not guarantee development. If exports remain largely confined to raw materials, countries forgo the additional benefits of domestic processing, technology adoption and the creation of highly skilled jobs. The real impact of trade should therefore be assessed not only in trillions of dollars, but also by the domestic value added, technologies adopted and jobs created.
Growth in trade does not automatically mean that the exchange of knowledge and technology will expand at the same pace. In some cases, the two countries involved may not have sufficient funding, expertise or technology. This is where triangular cooperation can help. One developing country offers its experience and technology, another applies them in practice, while a United Nations entity, a developed country or an international financial institution provides financial and technical support.
For example, when a water-saving irrigation technology is introduced, a country with relevant experience may provide the technology and specialists, while another partner finances the necessary equipment and a pilot project. Most importantly, the local side should determine, on the basis of its own needs, where and how the project will be implemented, what results are expected and which criteria will be used to measure its effectiveness. External experience then serves a specific need instead of becoming a ready-made model copied without regard for local conditions.
For Central Asia, such cooperation is a daily necessity. The countries of the region share rivers and rely on interconnected transport routes and energy networks. A change in water use upstream may affect agriculture downstream, while a disruption at the border can influence product prices and delivery times in several countries at once.
In 2026, this interdependence was further recognized through an important political decision within the United Nations. On 20 May, the UN General Assembly adopted without a vote the resolution entitled “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Economic Integration to Ensure Sustainable Development in the Central Asian Region.” Uzbekistan was among its initiators, and 66 other states became co-sponsors of the resolution.
The resolution calls for promoting innovation, creating new jobs, supporting long-term sustainable economic growth, and strengthening coordination between the Central Asian states and international and regional organizations. Its true practical value, however, will be seen in shorter border-crossing times, fewer trade barriers, the implementation of agreed solutions on water and energy, and the emergence of new economic opportunities for people.
The impact of cooperation on people’s lives can also be seen in the Aral Sea region. Water scarcity, environmental degradation, health, employment and access to social services are closely interconnected there. Addressing these issues separately may therefore fail to produce the expected results.
The UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan brings together the capabilities of government agencies, international organizations, donors and local communities. Its approach also places particular emphasis on the exchange of innovative technologies and practical experience through South–South cooperation.
Under joint programmes implemented with the Fund’s support, access to drinking water, electricity, healthcare and education services has improved for more than 16,000 rural residents. A tested water-saving technology demonstrated the potential to increase crop yields by 41 per cent while reducing water consumption by 20 per cent.
This is a concrete example of the results that cooperation can deliver in people’s daily lives. At the same time, the experience being accumulated in the Aral Sea region in water conservation, combating desertification, improving social infrastructure and supporting local employment may also prove useful to other countries facing similar challenges.
Developing countries today represent a major market, possess extensive practical experience and are becoming a source of new solutions. Yet making effective use of this potential requires turning agreements into concrete projects and projects into measurable results.
Each initiative should be assessed against indicators such as the volume of water saved, the number of jobs created, the technologies adopted, the specialists trained, the extent to which production has been localized, and tangible improvements in people’s lives.
For Uzbekistan, South–South cooperation creates additional opportunities to introduce green technologies, find practical solutions to water and energy challenges, adopt innovations more quickly and strengthen regional connectivity in Central Asia.
This is the central meaning of 12 September: rather than waiting for ready-made solutions to development challenges, countries should study the experience already available, adapt it to their own circumstances and work together to achieve new results on the basis of shared interests and mutual responsibility.
Alisher Azizov
Chief Specialist, NGO “Center for Sustainable Development”