28 May 2025- New York – The High-Level Conference (HLC) ono SSC side event on Empowering Global South Personnel Exchange Cooperation, held on 28 May 2025 at the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, brought together experts, policymakers, and practitioners to explore the transformative power of reciprocal knowledge-sharing initiatives. Co-organized by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), the Permanent Mission of Norway to the UN, and the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (Norec). The gathering explored how reciprocal knowledge-sharing initiatives can transform development cooperation by fostering mutual learning, institutional resilience, and cross-cultural collaboration.
Opening the event, Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC, emphasized that personnel exchanges redefine traditional aid by prioritizing horizontal learning and mutual benefit, equipping Global South nations with critical skills amid declining development assistance. His Excellency Andreas Løvold of Norway framed exchanges as a solution to today’s interconnected crises—geopolitical tensions, financial shortages, and debt—urging a shift toward partnerships built on trust and equality.
A joint study by Norec and UNOSSC, presented by Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, revealed how exchanges create lasting impact. Case studies, such as a Malawi-Norway hospital partnership and agricultural exchanges in Nepal and India, demonstrated that immersive collaboration strengthens institutional ties and retains skills long after projects conclude. The research called for Southern governments to allocate budgets for such programs, leverage corporate social responsibility, and adopt digital tools to preserve knowledge.
Global perspectives enriched the discussion. Switzerland’s Unité highlighted capacity sharing over technical training, stressing soft skills and trust as enduring outcomes. Germany’s DAAD shared decades of success in academic exchanges, while Japan’s JICA showcased triangular cooperation models where trainees evolve into regional leaders. The event closed with a call to scale these initiatives, integrating them into national development strategies and global frameworks like the SDGs.
The event underscored a paradigm shift: from donor-recipient dynamics to partnerships of equals, where shared knowledge drives sustainable progress. As nations navigate complex challenges, personnel exchanges emerge not just as a tool, but as a cornerstone of future cooperation.