South-South and triangular cooperation
In implementing its SSTC Programme, the ILO cooperates closely with the UN system, including the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). ILO was also actively engaged in both the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) Nairobi 2016 Forum and the 2nd High Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation held in Buenos Aires (BAPA + 40) and adheres to the recommendations of the conference as well as GPEDC principles. Additional SSTC guidance is provided by the declarations and summits of the Group of 77 and China; India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA); and Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa (BRICS).
Several ILO-SSTC projects and development cooperation projects are implemented in cooperation with other UN agencies. For example, the Mano River Union (MRU) project in collaboration with UNFPA and OXFAM, in West Africa is working to develop simplified guidance for women entrepreneurs to support their empowerment and resilience.
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What's new in SSTC
United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation: 12 September 2023
ILO and MOHRSS of China join hands to enhance South-South Cooperation and employment policymaking in Southeast Asia
Brazil and the ILO sign new agreement to promote decent work and social justice in Latin America, Africa and Asia and the Pacific
CPLP-ILO Cooperation
BRICS-ILO Cooperation
ILO - Brazil cooperation
Inequality and social justice on the agenda of talks between ILO Director-General and Brazil’s President
Taller sobre "formación basada en proyectos" busca promover la innovación en la formación profesional
Partnership fact sheet
Brazil ILO Cooperation, March 2023
ILO - China partnership
China and ILO sign partnership agreement to promote South-South Cooperation
Global South-South Expo 2022 - Bangkok, Thailand
ILO Solution Forum: Building Multi-Stakeholder Alliances in the Global South to Build Back Better: Towards a Smart and Resilient Future in the World of Work
BRICS Ministerial Meeting
ILO Director-General welcomes BRICS commitment to green jobs, skills development, workers’ protection
Eventh 5TH Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour
ILO facilitates discussion on Financing the Elimination of Child Labour
Event - 5TH Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour
South-South Cooperation: Good Practices of Labour Inspection on the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour
Report
Global and Regional Good Practices in SSTC: Promoting South-South and Triangular Cooperation, 2020-2021
Peer learning, resilience and solidarity in the world of work in times of COVID-19
BRICS-CIS series on formalization of the informal economy (Nov/ Dec 2021) ends with the adoption of recommendations for action by participants
Attendees of the closing ceremony included the Director of UNOSSC, the Secretary General of International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Director General of International Department, China Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security alongside representatives from the VV Giri National Labour institute and ITC Turin as well as the ILO Partnerships and Employment departments. This work will be continued in the next biennia, beginning with the Chinese presidency of the BRICS
The ILO and China reaffirm the strategic South-South Cooperation partnership in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
China-ILO cooperation fact sheet, Nov 2021
Publication
Informality and the potential for south-south cooperation between BRICS
This publication aims to promote South-South cooperation between the BRICS countries on the transition to formality from informality. It makes a series of recommendations for BRICS governments for the Delhi Summit (2021) and beyond.
Knowledge Development Series
BRICS formalization : knowledge development series
The BRICS formalization knowledge series, with a South-South approach, was held virtually from July-August 2021.
E-learning course
ILO Colombia and Türkiye launch e-learning course for the sharing of good practices to promote decent work for refugees and migrants in the context of COVID-19
South-South Knowledge Sharing Forum
What works in e-formalization for Asia and the Pacific
Virtual Event
World Forum on Local Economic Development (WFLED), May 26 - June 1, 2021
The ILO is a co-organizer of the fifth biannual WFLED along with UNDP and other partners. It leads thematic line 3 on decent work and LED that includes fragile-to-fragile and city to city cooperation in the framework of COVID-19.
The role of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation in achieving the SDGs - Human stories from the Arab States
Skills Virtual Fair: South-south and triangular cooperation
Russian Federation - ILO Cooperation
SENAC 360: A virtual study visit for peer-learning on skills development with a Brazilian vocational institution
Event
South-South and Triangular Skills Forum: Partnerships for Knowledge, Skills and Technology Transfer – A webinar series
SSTC Publication
Towards integrated strategy for the transition to formality: Road maps for Azerbaijan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
Cooperation initiative between Türkiye and Colombia will foster capacities for access to decent work for all during and beyond COVID-19
BRICS - ILO Cooperation
SSTC Skills Forum: Webinar, e-discussion, and virtual skills fair
South-South Galaxy: ILO and ITCILO are partners of the month
South-South Day
The ILO and ITC-ILO partnership highlighted for the UN day for South-South Cooperation
SSTC at the ILO and in international frameworks for development cooperation
ILO launches projects on South-South and Triangular Cooperation 2020-2021
ILO promotes South-South Cooperation in Asia on the International Day of South-South Cooperation
ILO-South Centre Side Event at BAPA+40: "The Future of Work, Youth Employment and South-South Cooperation"
South-South key resources
Related website
The South-South Meeting Point
Good Practices in SSTC
Global and Regional Good Practices in SSTC: Promoting South-South and Triangular Cooperation, 2020-2021
SSTC good practices
Good Practices in South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development – Vol. 3 (2020)
Learn about ILO and SSTC
SSTC Publicataions
Linked-In: SSE and South-South Cooperation
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ILO's commitment to SSTC
- March 2018: the Governing Body discussed the paper : “ILO South–South and triangular cooperation and decent work: Recent developments and future steps”
- November 2015: the Governing Body discussed the updated “ILO Development Cooperation Strategy 2015–2017”, which further stressed the importance of SSTC and agreed to continue the 2012 strategy
- November 2012: the Governing Body revised the South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) indicators
- March 2012: the Governing Body endorsed the paper “South–South and triangular cooperation: The way forward”, making the ILO the first UN agency with a dedicated strategy