South-South Cooperation for Democratic Development: CSO Key Messages and Policy Recommendations

Key Messages * The human rights and democratic framework of SSC should be strengthened so that the acclaimed advantage of Southern donors in terms of their avowed respect for national sovereignty and policy of non- interference is not abused. * Democratic ownership must be the core principle of SSC * South -South people’s solidarity should be at the heart of SSC. It must be based on principles of solidarity, mutual benefit, and people’s empowerment

* SSC should be encouraged and promoted at various levels, with adequate and structured support from developed countries and the UN. * SSC must be supportive of and foster conditions for self-reliant and sustainable development. Promote SSDC as a strategy by which all peoples and countries of the South pursue economic independence and self-reliance based on shared interests, common objectives and solidarity

* SSDC must support creating an enabling environment for CSOs * Newly emerging donors in the context of SSC are welcome, but it remains critically important to guard against the threat of creating or reinforcing existing dependencies, especially in the case of countries that are regional powers and which might develop SSC programs to carve their own zones of influence. To prevent this, it must be framed by a broad agenda drawn from South-South political alliances that are based on alternative models of Southern sustainable development, taking a more holistic vision and encompassing all forms of cooperation and financing for development including aid, trade, debt relief, foreign investment, domestic resource mobilization etc. Promote horizontal SSC

Policy Recommendations 1. Align to national development and poverty reduction strategies, designed in a broad and inclusive manner. 2. Governments and multilateral institutions must facilitate multi-stakeholder processes including planning, monitoring and evaluation of development programs/projectsand engagement at all levels. 3. Recipient governments, including their people, must have the freedom to apply their own country systems and standards to SSC projects as appropriate to their priorities and needs.

4. No policy conditionality. 5. Technical Assistance should be demand- driven. 6. Adhere to and implement the highest standards of openness and transparency. Indicators for evaluating the social and environmental risks and actual impacts of SSC should be developed

7. SSC government must establish a new debt architecture that is inclusive, participatory and democratically accountable to the peoples it aims to serve. 8. Establish a more equitable, transparent and inclusive aid governance system encompassing DAC donors, emerging donor countries, developing country governments and CSOs.

9. Debt cancellation from southern creditors found to be odious or illegitimate, which is in line with a global CSO call to cancel all such debt. 10. SSC best practices should be studied and promoted, not just among developing countries, but also among developed countries and multilateral institutions.