PRETORIA: Foreign Ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA), a tri-nation bloc working to deepen coordination among them on major global issues, have exchanged views and adopted a declaration to contribute to greater understanding of development and South-South Cooperation (SSC).
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu and Brazil’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marcos Galvao met here yesterday for the informal meeting of IBSA Foreign Ministers, said a joint press release issued today.
“They exchanged views on Development Cooperation and South-South Cooperation,” it said.
The ministers adopted the IBSA Declaration on South-South Cooperation, to contribute to greater understanding of development cooperation as a common endeavor of the Global South.
IBSA has, over the years, emerged as a grouping supporting welfare and developmental concerns for the Global South, which have been pursued in the spirit of access, equity and inclusion, said the IBSA Declaration on SSC.
“IBSA calls upon the global North to honour its ODA commitments fully, scale up existing resources and commit additional resources to provide the necessary means to implement SDGs,” the declaration said.
Stating that respect for national sovereignty is at the core of SSC, it said, “IBSA believes that the primary responsibility towards development rests with the States themselves under their ownership and leadership.”
“The aim of SSC is to create higher levels of capability and economic opportunity for both the partners. Capacity building and technology transfer continues to drive SSC in the spirit of solidarity among partner countries. South-South Cooperation serves as a complement to and not as a substitute for North-South cooperation, in supporting the acceleration of the development agenda,” the declaration said.
The ministers also considered proposed IBSA events planned for 2018-19 to mark the fifteenth-anniversary of the grouping. They agreed to host these events in all three countries as well as on the margins of multilateral events/ fora.
The ministers further agreed to enhance IBSA cooperation at multilateral fora and will step up advocacy for reforms of global governance institutions.
They agreed to continue to coordinate on South-South Cooperation, including through their multilateral Missions in the run up to the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) +40 events.
The ministers also thanked Brazil for the offer to host the 9th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting in New York on 28th September, 2018, on the margins of 73rd UNGA and looked forward to a successful meeting there. (AGENCIES)
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