Towards BAPA+40: Challenges in Defining South-South Cooperation and Development Cooperation from Southern Powers

This research paper argues for a rigorous conceptual distinction between 'South-South Cooperation' and 'development cooperation' to ensure scientific and policy utility. It emphasizes that while development cooperation is a subset of South-South Cooperation, it should not be used interchangeably with other flows such as trade and investment.

• There is a lack of clarity in the international development landscape regarding the use of terms like South-South Cooperation, development cooperation, and foreign aid, which are often used interchangeably. This ambiguity reduces the utility of these terms for policy-making and scientific study.
• South-South Cooperation is a broad concept encompassing various exchanges among global South countries, including trade and investment. Development cooperation is only one specific tool or subset of South-South Cooperation and should not be characterized as the sole definition of these interactions.
• As Southern powers assume greater responsibilities in the shifting geopolitical landscape, they must lead the effort to define these terms to prevent Northern scholars and journalists from controlling the narrative and parameters of the discussion.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2019). Towards BAPA+40: Challenges in Defining South-South Cooperation and Development Cooperation from Southern Powers. https://saiia.org.za/research/towards-bapa40-challenges-in-defining-south-south-cooperation-and-development-cooperation-from-southern-powers/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Towards BAPA+40: Challenges in Defining South-South Cooperation and Development Cooperation from Southern Powers. 2019. https://saiia.org.za/research/towards-bapa40-challenges-in-defining-south-south-cooperation-and-development-cooperation-from-southern-powers/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Towards BAPA+40: Challenges in Defining South-South Cooperation and Development Cooperation from Southern Powers |date=24 April 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/towards-bapa40-challenges-in-defining-south-south-cooperation-and-development-cooperation-from-southern-powers/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2019towards, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Towards BAPA+40: Challenges in Defining South-South Cooperation and Development Cooperation from Southern Powers}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/towards-bapa40-challenges-in-defining-south-south-cooperation-and-development-cooperation-from-southern-powers/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }