Development Policies

South Centre Statement at FfD4, 30 June – 3 July 2025

South Centre Statement on the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development

Seville, Spain, 30 June – 3 July 2025

The international financial architecture continues to reflect a global order that existed eight decades ago. An urgent, comprehensive reform is needed to make such order responsive to the financing needs of developing countries in the 21st century.

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Chair’s Statement to 25th Council Meeting, 8 May 2025

Statement of President Mbeki under the Council Agenda Item 5

8 May 2025

Pres. Thabo Mbeki, Chair of the South Centre Board, thanked the Centre for continuing to work for the adoption of frameworks, rules & policies that promote the common interest of the Global South. He also called on Member States to address structural asymmetries & support efforts to achieve SDGs, as well as to ensure the Centre’s sustainability. In commemoration of the South Centre’s 30th anniversary this year, he also expressed that the Centre is proud to have preserved the values and have worked hard to make a reality the visions and aspirations of the founders of the Centre, led by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, one of the great leaders of the Global South.

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SouthViews No. 271, 31 July 2024

UNCTAD at 60: Reflections on six decades of promoting economic development for the Global South

By Yuefen Li and Danish

The United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) celebrated its 60th anniversary in June 2024 in Geneva, holding a high-level Global Leaders Forum that brought together ministers, officials and experts to discuss the multidimensional challenges facing countries, and strategies for advancing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It highlighted the need for innovative solutions to address current global crises that can promote resilience, economic growth and sustainable development.

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Dialogue with the G77+China Countries, 11 April 2024

A Dialogue with the G77+China Countries

Summit of the Future: risk and opportunities for developing countries

Co-organised by South Centre & Transnational Institute

11 April 2024, 13:00-15:00 (CET)

Geneva, Switzerland

Venue: International Environment House II, Chemin de Balexert 7-9, 1219 Vernier

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SC and IsDB Side Event, 6 July 2023

Side Event to the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

Reinvigorating the Non-Aligned Movement”

Co-organized by South Centre and Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

6 July 2023, 15:00 – 16:15

Baku, Azerbaijan

Venue: Baku Convention Center (BCC), Rooms A3-A4

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SouthViews No. 244, 31 January 2023

Graduating from the LDC Group: Challenges Facing Bangladesh

by Mustafizur Rahman

A significant number of LDCs will be graduating in the near term future. On graduation these countries will face formidable challenges as they will lose the benefits accruing from LDC-specific international support measures. Bangladesh is the first major LDC which is slated for graduation, to take place in November 2026. This article examines the various graduation challenges facing Bangladesh, and articulates some of the strategies that the country needs to pursue in order to graduate with momentum and make graduation sustainable.

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South Centre Contribution – UNCTAD eCommerce Week 2022

DATA FOR DEVELOPMENT: HOW TO LEGALLY CHARACTERIZE DATA?

SOUTH CENTRE’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE eTRADE FOR ALL LEADERSHIP DIALOGUE OF THE UNCTAD eCOMMERCE WEEK 2022

Radical technological changes have always challenged pre-existing legal frameworks as demonstrated, for instance, by the commercialization of computer software independently from hardware and the use of genetic information to develop biotechnological innovations in various areas such as health and agriculture. The emergence of big data is a new and outstanding example of such situations. With the growing digitalization of multiple activities, ranging from education and health to ‘smart farming’ and the supply of the most diverse goods, the production and storage of data have exploded. Individuals, businesses and governments are generating an immense amount of data and this will only continue to grow in the future. Yet, the legal characterization of data is still a matter of considerable divergencies and debate. Policy makers and scholars are still searching for legal approaches suitable to address the complex relationships among producers, processors, controllers and users of data…

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