South-South and triangular cooperation

A growing form of partnership

1. ILO gives full support for South-South and triangular cooperation

   Since the 1960s technical cooperation has included various approaches within both bilateral and multilateral relations. In the UN system the concept known as "horizontal cooperation" has brought new development aid profiles and helped enhance the social impact of development.
   
   Traditional international technical cooperation has reached a point where some beneficiary countries have learnt sufficiently from development efforts and have mastered techniques that they can now pass on to other countries to promote this learning process. This is known as South-South cooperation.
   
   Most countries that are now donor countries to the UN system and to the ILO in the past benefited from traditional cooperation. One case is Brazil, which has learned a great deal from such cooperation, notably under the multilateral framework, and is now ready to co.ntribute to its peer countries and to other countries that receive low levels of support from traditional donors. Over the past few years Brazil has been promoting horizontal cooperation in Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and Haiti, sharing its experience and technical knowledge on approaches to fighting child labour.
   
   Since 2005, the ILO has assisted the Government of Brazil in initiating more systematic horizontal cooperation in the field of child labour with Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa. The Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil on 14 December 2007 to guide the future development of this important South-South initiative in a spirit of equality and non-discrimination and based on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Its most recent achievement is Brazil's agreement to finance projects in Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador and Timor Leste (see box, right) following the conclusion of a framework agreement with the ILO in March 2009.

1. 

   First ILO North-South-South "triangular agreement"

   Brazil, U.S. and ILO expand fight against child labour in Haiti

   The agreement stresses the important need to eradicate and prevent child labour. It calls for respect for international labour standards in Haiti, especially in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake in January and in the country’s reconstruction process.

Past highlights

1. 

   ILO and the Government of Brazil discuss South-South Cooperation

   Sixth annual review meeting held in Brasilia in May 2012

   1. Report on the meeting: Brazil’s Contribution to the ILO’s South-South Cooperation Strategy - An overview: 2010-2012
   2. ILO-Brazil South-South discussion (ILO Brasilia, in Portuguese)
2. ILO Governing Body, March 2012

   South-South and triangular cooperation: The way forward sets out ILO strategy on South–South and triangular cooperation.

   1. Download the GB document on South-South
3. 

   South-South in Action: Winter 2011 issue

   Covers a social protection floor for fair and inclusive globalization, Brazil's contribution to the ILO strategy, food security, the role of IBSA, and the Global Labour University

   1. Download this edition
4. 

   IBSA International Conference on South-South Cooperation: 'Innovations in Public Employment Programmes and Sustainable Inclusive Growth', 1- 3 March 2012, New Delhi

   1. Website
5. 

   Global South-South Development Forum, Rome, December 2011

   The 2011 forum was held at FAO in Rome.

   1. GSSD 2011: ILO Report
   2. GSSD 2011: ILO Solution Exchange Forum
6. 

   Brazil-ILO Joint Declaration on Humanitarian Assistance

   1. English
   2. Français
   3. Español