17 October 2024 – The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), a subsidiary organ of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) jointly organized a virtual capacity development workshop titled “The Potential of Utilizing South-South and Triangular Cooperation Mechanisms towards Alleviating Poverty in the OIC Region” on October 16-17, 2024. This two-day event was organized to commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, bringing together experts and officials from OIC member countries and selected think tanks and project implementing partners to discuss innovative approaches to poverty alleviation. Ms. Semiha Abdullah Inan, Technical Cooperation Officer at SESRIC, moderated the workshop.
Dr. Esat Bakimli, Senior Researcher at SESRIC, and Mr. Zanofer Ismalebbe, Chief of Knowledge Management at UNOSSC, opened the workshop, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) mechanisms in poverty reduction.
Dr. Bakimli addressed the workshop, underscoring the significant role of SESRIC, as a subsidiary organ of the OIC, in enhancing SSTC among the member countries in its three mandate areas: Statistics and Information, Socioeconomic Research, and Training and Technical Cooperation. In particular, he provided insights on how the Centre facilitates the transfer and exchange of knowledge and experience among the OIC countries through efficient partnership and cooperation with relevant OIC and national and international institutions to address the existing challenges in the region.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Ismalebbe highlighted the significance of this year’s theme for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: “Ending Social and Institutional Maltreatment: Acting Together for just, peaceful and inclusive societies.” He underscored that South-South and triangular cooperation is not just about resource sharing or technical assistance but serves as a mechanism for social transformation and institutional reform. Through such cooperation, OIC countries can share best practices in governance, policy-making, and social inclusion, developing culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate solutions to deeply rooted social issues.
The following session focused on sharing experiences and best practices. The keynote address by Mr. Sameh Hussein, Lead Technical Cooperation Specialist from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), highlighted the Bank’s Reverse Linkage Mechanism as a strategy for tackling poverty and promoting sustainable development. Mr. Hussein also presented various case studies of an IsDB Reverse Linkage project, demonstrating how South-South and Triangular Cooperation can be effectively leveraged for poverty eradication.
A diverse panel of experts presented case studies and experiences from successful SSTC initiatives. Presentations included contribution from Dr. Fakhre Alam Ibne Tabib, representing Bangladesh’s Cotton Development Board (CDB), as a beneficiary institution of the Reverse Linkage Project between Bangladesh and Türkiye on “Cotton Varieties Development”, who shared insights on the project that aimed at matching Bangladesh’s needs with Türkiye’s experience to increase the local cotton production in Bangladesh.
A series of presentations from experts at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), offered valuable insights into China’s poverty alleviation strategies and their potential application in other similar contexts:
- Tan Xuewen shared “Stories of the 100 Villages documented China’s way out of poverty,” providing a grassroots perspective on successful poverty reduction efforts.
- Li Zhifei presented on “Poverty Alleviation in the Mekong Region under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism,” highlighting regional cooperation efforts.
- Lin Hong discussed “How to Address the Challenges of Poverty Reduction during the Transformation of Livelihood Mode? A Case Study of a Poor Pastoral Village in China,” offering insights into the complexities of poverty reduction in diverse economic contexts.
- Sun Jingying explored “Poverty Reduction Experiences Asian Countries Can Draw from China,” facilitating knowledge transfer within the region.
- Ma Feng, Associate Research Fellow at the National Academy of Chinese Modernization, CASS, presented on “The Cause and Experience of Poverty Reduction in Chinese Modernization,” providing a broader historical and developmental context to China’s poverty alleviation efforts.
These case studies and presentations provided participants with concrete examples of successful poverty reduction strategies within various contexts, including the OIC region. The comprehensive coverage of China’s experiences, presented by the CASS experts, offered valuable insights into large-scale, systematic approaches to poverty alleviation that could potentially be adapted to other developing nations’ contexts.
This was followed by a presentation on South-South Galaxy by Ms. Naveeda Nazir, which is UNOSSC’s online platform for partnership brokering and knowledge sharing for South-South and triangular cooperation.
Day 2 of the workshop started with a presentation by Mr. Saeed Zaki Mubarak, Trust Funds Communications Officer at UNOSSC, focused on presenting UNOSSC-managed trust funds and projects. By highlighting these funding opportunities, the workshop aimed to inspire participants to develop new SSTC initiatives, providing them with practical information on available resources and support mechanisms. This session also invited partners from the trust funds showcasing successful SSTC initiatives in OIC countries including from Benin, Jordan, and Burkina Faso, funded through various mechanisms such as the India Brazil South Africa Fund, Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund (PGTF) Fund, and India-UN Fund.
Mr. Bahadir Topal from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Sub-Regional Office for Central Asia (FAO-SEC), presented the Türkiye-Azerbaijan case in the FAOSEC region. This presentation coincided with World Food Day on October 16, highlighting the crucial link between food security and poverty alleviation efforts.
Ms. Moumita Ghorai, Research Consultant at the UNDP Human Development Report Office, presented the findings of the 2024 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in addressing poverty in OIC countries. This presentation coincided with the launch of the 2024 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report, providing participants with the most up-to-date global poverty data and trends.
Ms. Ghorai‘s presentation included a focused case study on Afghanistan, offering insights into the unique challenges and potential solutions for poverty alleviation in one of the OIC member countries facing significant hardships. This case study demonstrated how the MPI can be applied to understand and address poverty in specific national contexts within the OIC region.
By covering these three key areas – knowledge exchange, funding opportunities, and policy-level strategies-, the workshop provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of SSTC mechanisms and their potential for poverty alleviation in the OIC context. This holistic approach aimed to equip attendees with the knowledge, resources, and strategic insights needed to develop and implement effective poverty reduction initiatives in their respective countries.
As the workshop concluded, participants left with a deeper understanding of SSTC mechanisms, practical knowledge of funding opportunities, and strategic insights for policy-level interventions. The event, organized to commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and held in conjunction with World Food Day, has set the stage for increased collaboration and knowledge exchange among OIC member countries in their efforts to combat poverty, address social injustices, and promote sustainable development, ultimately working towards building more just, peaceful, and inclusive societies for all.
For more information, visit the SESRIC website.