Report on Reducing Development Inequalities through South-South Cooperation for a Sustainable Future in the post-COVID Arena – Virtual Webinar

Organized by: Public Affairs Centre (PAC), in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)

Dr. Meena Nair (Chair & Context Setting), Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander (Introduction)

Panelists: Dr. Bitrina Diyamett (STIPRO, Tanzania); Dr. Fahmida Khatun (Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh); Dr. Vaqar Ahmed (Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Pakistan); Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwena (Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa, Nigeria). Observers: Karin Fernando (Centre for Poverty Analysis, Sri Lanka); Leandro Echt (International Development Consultant, Argentina).

The Virtual Webinar on "Reducing Development Inequalities through South-South Cooperation for a Sustainable Future in the Post-COVID Arena" was organised by the Public Affairs Centre (PAC) in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) to examine the role of South-South Cooperation (SSC) in addressing development inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar built upon PAC's research paper, "Advancing Alternative Development Paradigms under South-South Cooperation," which evaluated India's Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme as a case study for promoting development partnerships among countries of the Global South. The study assessed ITEC initiatives in Nepal and Bangladesh and proposed a framework for aligning capacity-building programmes with partner countries' national development priorities and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The webinar brought together experts and practitioners to discuss policy, governance, social protection, and institutional reforms necessary to strengthen development cooperation in the post-pandemic context. Through panel discussions and evidence-based deliberations, participants examined the political economy of inequality, the importance of contextualised capacity-building programmes, and the need for stronger collaboration among governments, research institutions, civil society, and the private sector. Key discussions emphasised technology transfer, knowledge sharing, innovation, resilient healthcare systems, social protection, disaster preparedness, and employment generation as essential components of sustainable development. Speakers also highlighted the importance of government-to-government learning, strengthening regional cooperation, promoting Centres of Excellence, and supporting locally relevant knowledge production across the Global South. The webinar concluded that South-South Cooperation can play a transformative role in reducing development inequalities by facilitating mutual learning, strengthening institutional capacities, promoting context-specific solutions, and encouraging collaborative action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The event reinforced PAC's contribution to international policy dialogue by generating evidence-based recommendations on strengthening development partnerships and advancing equitable, sustainable, and resilient development across countries of the Global South.