A UN statement said the 1-3 December conference whose theme is: “Promotion of S outh-South Cooperation for Development”, would bring together key leaders to fo r ge stronger cooperation.
It also said that the participants would also discuss their positions on a numbe r of pressing international concerns.
“All States of the UN system, as well as intergovernmental organisations with o bserver status with the UN General Assembly and UN specialised agencies and othe r entities of the UN system, have been invited by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moo n to participate in the conference,” it said.
The statement also disclosed that the meeting would consist of plenary meetings and interactive multi-sector stakeholder roundtables on two sub-themes and would
seek to strengthen the role of the UN system in supporting South-South and trian g ular cooperation.
The Pan African News Agency (PANA) learnt that Heads of State and Government, mi nisters, special representatives and other high-ranking government officials are
among those expected to attend.
“Also invited are Non-Governmental Organisations and public and private sector development partners of the United Nations,” it stated.
“UNDP Administrator Helen Clark is one of the high-level UN officials who will attend the conference,” the statement added.
The conference is the outcome of a UN decision to convene such a conference on t he 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promo t ing and Implementing Technical Cooperation among developing countries (TCDC).
The UN General Assembly has described South-South cooperation as an important el ement of international cooperation for development.
It said that it offered viable opportunities for developing countries in their i ndividual and collective pursuits of sustained economic growth and sustainable d e velopment.
It also emphasised that South-South cooperation was not a substitute for, but is complementary to, North-South cooperation.
