Statement from the UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo on the observance of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation 2026.
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, it is a privilege to join this event even from a distance as we mark United Nations Day for South Corporation. The world is changing. Climate shocks are getting more intense and more frequent. Debt burdens and limited finances are holding back investment and technology is moving faster than many countries can adapt. For too many people, the future feels less certain and less secure.
But there is another story. As traditional development models shift, South and triangular cooperation is becoming central to how development happens. Across the global south, countries are shaping their own
solutions, testing new ideas, adapting what works, and sharing experience across borders. Governments are using new digital tools to solve long-standing problems. Cities are redesigning public services. Farmers are finding new ways to adapt to harsher climates. So the challenge is not a shortage of ideas. It is turning them into solutions that can travel from one country to another, from expertise to implementation, from innovation to finance. That is the gap that the global alliance for south south and triangular cooperation is designed to close. It connects country demand directly with southern solutions and with the partners expertise and financing needed to turn them into results. Think of it as a new marketplace, a place to find what works, to learn from one another, and most importantly to move from knowledge to action.
Together, our role is simple. Listen to what countries need, connect them to solutions, help finance the next step, and deliver at scale. Solidarity is not about sharing promises. It is about sharing what works and making it travel further, faster, together. Thank you.
But there is another story. As traditional development models shift, South and triangular cooperation is becoming central to how development happens. Across the global south, countries are shaping their own
solutions, testing new ideas, adapting what works, and sharing experience across borders. Governments are using new digital tools to solve long-standing problems. Cities are redesigning public services. Farmers are finding new ways to adapt to harsher climates. So the challenge is not a shortage of ideas. It is turning them into solutions that can travel from one country to another, from expertise to implementation, from innovation to finance. That is the gap that the global alliance for south south and triangular cooperation is designed to close. It connects country demand directly with southern solutions and with the partners expertise and financing needed to turn them into results. Think of it as a new marketplace, a place to find what works, to learn from one another, and most importantly to move from knowledge to action.
It also opens the door to a new partnership, including with the private sector, bringing more capital, knowhow, and innovation to where they are needed most. Colleagues and friends, the real opportunity is not to invent more solutions. It is to move solutions that already work from one country to another, from one community to another, from proof of concept to scale. That is why UNDP is proud to host the United Nations Office for South Cooperation.
Together, our role is simple. Listen to what countries need, connect them to solutions, help finance the next step, and deliver at scale. Solidarity is not about sharing promises. It is about sharing what works and making it travel further, faster, together. Thank you.
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo’s message – 2026 United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
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