Thursday, 29 May 2025, from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. Conference Room 8 - United Nations Headquarters, New York – UN Web TV

The event will be held in English.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has embraced South–South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) as a key delivery modality to catalyse agricultural development, food security, and rural development. With over 40 years of experience, FAO is a leading promotor and facilitator of SSTC in agriculture, food security and nutrition. SSTC is also fully integrated in FAO's Strategic Framework and is a key delivery modality in the implementation of FAO's projects and programmes.

In 2024, the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, through its resolution on South-South Cooperation (A/RES/79/236), recognized the key role of South-South and triangular cooperation in enhancing connectivity and digital transformation within and among developing countries. The resolution therefore encourages developed countries to provide increased financial, scientific, and technological support to developing countries.

In line with the UNGA above-mentioned resolution, and with the overall thematic discussions of the 22nd session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, FAO has set up a series of SSTC initiatives, aimed at facilitating access to digital and innovative technologies, ultimately bridging the digital divide and advancing sustainable development, particularly for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlock Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The year 2025 will also mark a historic milestone for FAO - its 80th Anniversary - which will highlight emerging science, technologies and innovations (STI) to accelerate actions to tackle present and future agrifood systems challenges.

In order to further promote the fundamental role of SSTC in addressing these global development challenges and accelerating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievements, FAO and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) are jointly organizing a side event on the occasion of the 22nd Session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation: “South-South and Triangular Cooperation Gateway: facilitating access to digital and innovative technologies for more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, more sustainable agrifood systems”.

The side event will launch the new FAO SSTC Gateway Platform. Leveraging SSTC for sustainable development, especially through science, technology, and innovation – including the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) via other FAO platforms such as the Agrifood Systems Technologies and Innovations Outlook (ATIO) platform - is one of the aims of the platform. The SSTC Gateway Platform will also:
Promote dialogue, knowledge sharing, networking, partnerships and collaboration for capacity building and uptake of good practices and innovations from the agrifood sector – in close collaboration with the UNOSSC Galaxy portal.
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Facilitate more effective SSTC exchanges and matchmaking between Solutions Seekers and Providers, as partners interested in showcasing their institutions and expertise in the areas of agriculture and food security, will have their own space to showcase this information.