Southsouth-Galaxy

UNOSSC Director visited NDRCC to Strengthen Collaboration on Disaster Risk Reduction through South-South and Triangular Cooperation

October 18, 2023

17 October 2023, China – During a mission to China, Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), visited the National Disaster Reduction Center of China (NDRCC).

The UNOSSC Director met with Mr. WEI Zhenkuan, Head of NDRCC, to underscore the commitment to strengthening the strategic collaboration between two institutions in advancing South-South Cooperation (SSC) in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and management.

Ms. Dima Al-Khatib introduced the focus and main achievements of UNOSSC in promoting SSC at the global, regional and national levels. Specifically, under UNOSSC Cities Project framework, from 2020 to 2023, UNOSSC, UNDRR-GETI, PAHO/WHO and WHO jointly organized four certified online training series, focusing on harnessing SSC, DRR and health emergency response in building resilience cities and societies.

In October 2022, the “South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) for Sustainable Disaster Risk Governance in Lebanon” pilot was launched and is implemented by UNDP with support from the Cities Project. Through multi-stakeholders’ engagement at both national and local levels, this pilot has connected local authorities from Tripoli and Shenzhen, as well as technical expertise from NDRCC and the National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon (CNRS).

In September, NDRCC co-hosted a two-day capacity development and knowledge sharing event to foster the exchange of experiences, technologies, and good practices in DRR between China and Lebanon, and support Tripoli local authorities to strengthen their disaster risk governance capacity and enhance preparedness and resilience against various disasters.

Building on the good foundation of a pilot project in Lebanon, the city of Shenzhen and other Chinese cities’ good practices and expertise in DRR will be shared with more developing countries through knowledge sharing, capacity-building training, fellowships, and pragmatic project cooperation.

About South-South Cities Clusters

The UNOSSC Cities Project seeks to promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation at the city and local levels. The South-South Cities Clusters are part of the South-South Galaxy virtual platform that facilitates information sharing, knowledge exchange, networking, and project collaboration among cities, local authorities, UN agencies, and other development partners. Currently, it offers interactive thematic spaces on:

  • COVID-19 Response and Public Health
  • Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation in Resilient Cities
  • Sustainable Tourism, Heritage Protection and Creative Economy
  • Sustainable Agriculture Value Chain Development
  • E-Commerce, Digitization and Smart Cities
  • Sustainable Transport and Air Quality
  • Waste Management, Green Cities and Renewable Energy

Call for Submission

The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) is pleased to invite submissions of good practices. We seek examples of South-South and triangular cooperation that showcase innovative, impactful, and scalable solutions, demonstrating collaborative efforts among countries of the Global South as well as supported through triangular cooperation involving traditional donors, multilateral organizations, and developed countries.

These good practices will be featured on South-South Galaxy, UNOSSC’s global knowledge-sharing and partnership brokering platform. South-South Galaxy serves as a dynamic digital repository where development practitioners can access solutions, connect with partners, and engage in knowledge exchange. The platform enables real-time access to development solutions, direct connections with solution providers, and interactive learning opportunities.

The call for submissions aims to identify, document, and disseminate good practices that demonstrate the transformative potential of South-South and triangular Cooperation in addressing shared development challenges. By highlighting successful initiatives, UNOSSC aims to inspire further collaboration, foster knowledge exchange, and strengthen the global South-South and triangular Cooperation ecosystem.

Key Objectives

Showcase Success Stories

Highlight effective and replicable South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives that have contributed to sustainable development, poverty reduction, and the achievement of the SDGs

Knowledge Sharing

Facilitate the exchange of experiences, lessons learned, and innovative approaches among stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector

Strengthen Partnerships

Encourage new and strengthened partnerships by demonstrating the value of South-South and triangular cooperation in addressing global challenges and fostering mutual learning

Inform Policy & Practice

Provide evidence-based insights to inform policymaking and programming at national, regional, and global levels

Focus Areas for Submissions

Submissions are welcome for all 17 SDGs. In particular, the submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following thematic areas

Poverty alleviation & Social Inclusion

Education and skills development

Debt Management & Sustainability

Migration & Diaspora Engagement

Climate & Environmental Sustainability

Digital Transformation & Innovation

Food Security & Agricultural Development

Technology Transfer & Capacity Building

    Health & Well-being

    Infrastructure Growth & Connectivity

      Renewable Energy & Energy Access

        Personnel Exchange

        Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment

        Trade, Investment, & Economic Cooperation

        Disaster Risk Reduction & Resilience Development

        Submission Criteria

        Horizontal Cooperation

        Horizontal cooperation between two or more countries of the South

        Knowledge Exchange

        Facilitates systematic knowledge transfer between for mutual benefit, addressing complex transnational challenges that require collaborative solutions.

        Innovative

        Present creative approaches to development challenges and/or establishes more effective collaboration methods that enhance developing countries’ competitive advantages.

        Replicable and Adaptable

        Shows potential for implementation in diverse contexts with similar objectives, supported by successful applications or thorough feasibility studies.

        Sustainable

        Advances one or more SDGs through environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable practices that create lasting positive impact without compromising future needs.

        Effective

        Demonstrates strategic relevance in achieving specific SDG-related objectives, with evidence of successful implementation, scaling, and positive impact on communities.

        Technically Feasible

        Features straightforward learning curves and implementation processes.

        Participatory

        Fosters shared ownership of decisions and actions among all stakeholders.

        Who can apply:

        We welcome submissions from a wide range of entities, including but not limited to:

        • UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes
        • International Financial Institutions and multilateral development organizations
        • Government Agencies/ Ministries
        • Civil society organizations
        • Academic and research institutions
        • Private sector entities
        • Philanthropic foundations
        • Regional and sub-regional organizations
        • Centers of Excellence

        Submission Process:

        The submission process has two steps. Complete the Good Practices submission template (MS Word) and submit to naveeda.nazir@unossc.org; Cc: southsouth-galaxy@unossc.org. All submissions will undergo a review process managed by UNOSSC to ensure quality assurance as per the aforementioned criteria for quality assurance. Once reviewed and cleared, the partner organizations can upload the final submission via the South-South Galaxy Online Solutions Submission Form. Please note that registration on South-South Galaxy is required to access the submission form.

        Interested parties are invited to submit their good practices by 15 May 2025.

        Be part of our efforts to harness the power of South-South and triangular Cooperation in driving sustainable development and building a more equitable world. We look forward to receiving your submissions!