South-South and Triangular Cooperation

South-South Cooperation refers to development cooperation whereby developing countries with expertise, knowledge, and experience in a particular field to contribute to the development of other developing countries.
JICA defines South-South Cooperation as “mutual cooperation among developing countries aimed at achieving self-reliant development through technical and economic cooperation while strengthening partnerships with one another.”

Triangular Cooperation, on the other hand, refers to arrangements in which developed countries and/or international organizations support South-South Cooperation undertaken by developing countries through financing, technical assistance, operational support, and other means.

These forms of cooperation are internationally recognized as important instruments for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) position South-South and Triangular Cooperation as one of the key pillars of international development cooperation. At the Second United Nations High-level Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40) in 2019, Triangular Cooperation was explicitly recognized as an important modality for achieving the SDGs and a means of mobilizing diverse expertise and resources. The 2024 United Nations General Assembly’s “Pact for the Future” also highlights the promotion of South-South and Triangular Cooperation as a means of accelerating progress toward the SDGs.

As developing countries face increasingly complex challenges arising from climate change, infectious diseases, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions, solutions can no longer be provided by a single country or institution alone. Against this backdrop, the importance of South-South and Triangular Cooperation within the international community is expected to continue growing in the years ahead.

Global crises are becoming increasingly complex and uncertain, and there is no single solution to today’s development challenges. Alongside traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided by developed countries and international organizations, emerging economies that have achieved significant development progress are increasingly expected to play a broader role as providers of development cooperation. By sharing technologies and experiences that are appropriate to their regional and national contexts, these emerging countries can contribute to more diverse, effective, and context-sensitive development solutions.

Developing countries that transition from aid recipients to development partners can accumulate valuable experience as providers of cooperation through South-South Cooperation, while also strengthening the capacities necessary for their own continued development.

In regions such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, emerging economies are increasingly assuming leadership roles in development cooperation by actively providing technical assistance, equipment, and infrastructure support to neighboring countries. JICA can further enhance development effectiveness by leveraging complementary strengths with development agencies in these emerging countries.

Another important aspect of South-South and Triangular Cooperation is its role as a platform for building new networks and creating shared value. In recent years, emerging economies have increasingly hosted and led major international forums such as the G20 and the World Economic Forum. Since 2023, the Voice of Global South Summit has also been convened to strengthen cooperation and amplify the perspectives of developing countries.

Rather than relying solely on traditional North-South bilateral assistance models, South-South and Triangular Cooperation promotes knowledge-sharing and joint problem-solving among partners facing similar development challenges. Through collaborative initiatives and mutual learning, countries can generate more diverse, innovative, and locally relevant solutions.

Japan joined the Colombo Plan in 1954 and began its journey in international development cooperation. The fact that Japan started providing development cooperation while still undergoing its own post-war reconstruction can itself be viewed as an early example of the spirit underpinning South-South Cooperation.
Building on this foundation, JICA has promoted Triangular Cooperation for more than 50 years, beginning with Third Country Training Programmes launched in Thailand in 1975.

To date, JICA has concluded Partnership Programmes (PP) with 12 countries that have successfully advanced their own development. Through these partnerships, the cumulative number of participants in Third Country Training Programmes has reached approximately 80,000, while more than 2,000 experts from partner countries have been dispatched to support development efforts in other countries.

In recent years, JICA has also intensified collaboration with emerging development partners and has worked closely with international organizations and other development partners to maximize the impact and effectiveness of development cooperation.

Drawing on more than five decades of experience and lessons learned in Triangular Cooperation, JICA places particular emphasis on the following strengths and values:

Promoting cooperation that fully respects the ownership and leadership of partner countries, enabling them to drive their own development processes.

Moving beyond one-way transfer of expertise from JICA to partner countries, and instead fostering mutual learning and the joint creation of new knowledge, innovations, and solutions.

Leveraging the long-standing trust and relationships established between JICA’s overseas offices and partner countries to deliver sustainable and effective cooperation.

Applying locally grounded knowledge and experiences accumulated with partner countries to address global challenges and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

JICA is expanding beyond traditional models of Triangular Cooperation by working with a wider range of partners and promoting innovative forms of collaboration.

In addition to the traditional three-party arrangement involving a provider country, a beneficiary country, and JICA, JICA is increasingly engaging additional countries and organizations to create broader, more inclusive cooperation frameworks that address regional and global challenges.

JICA collaborates with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), emerging development partners, the private sector, and other stakeholders to mobilize diverse resources and promote innovation, technical cooperation, and sustainable development solutions.

By utilizing knowledge, expertise, and technical centers developed through past cooperation efforts, JICA serves as a bridge connecting the needs and resources of countries and regions through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, thereby contributing to effective problem-solving and sustainable development.

Through stronger partnerships with emerging countries, expanded regional cooperation, and innovative financing approaches, JICA will continue to contribute to addressing increasingly complex global challenges and advancing sustainable development worldwide.