African countries are increasingly strengthening cooperation among themselves, as South-South and triangular partnerships gain momentum as practical pathways for sharing knowledge, scaling reforms, and accelerating development outcomes.
The shift reflects a growing trend in which governments are prioritizing homegrown, peer-tested solutions over externally designed models, particularly as traditional development assistance faces mounting pressure globally.
The development was highlighted during the inaugural Convention on South-South and Triangular Cooperation, held in Kigali on June 22, and organized by the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative (RCI) in partnership with UNDP.
The two-day convention brought together government officials, development partners, and international organizations to explore how cooperation among developing countries can be strengthened through shared learning, policy alignment, and joint implementation of development programs.
Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the global development system is undergoing a structural shift, driven by changing financing conditions and the growing capacity of developing countries to generate their own solutions.
“The system is still recovering from the shocks of recent years and a multilateral financing architecture that was not designed for the world we live in today,” he said.
He noted that while traditional development cooperation remains important, countries now possess practical experience that can be shared across borders.
“Countries now hold hard-earned experience in building institutions, reforming public services, and delivering digital governance systems that can be shared across borders,” he said.
Nduhungirehe stressed that South-South cooperation is not intended to replace existing aid frameworks, but to complement them through more horizontal partnerships.
“This is not a substitute for traditional development partnerships. It is a compliment,” he said.
He added that countries are increasingly recognizing the value of solutions that have already been tested in similar contexts.
“Some of the most relevant, replicable and affordable solutions are being designed in the Global South by people who live closest to the problems they are solving,” he said.
Rwanda Cooperation Initiative Chief Executive Officer Richard Niwenshuti said cooperation among developing countries has evolved significantly over the past years, moving beyond study visits and benchmarking into structured partnerships and implementation.
For many governments, he said, the appeal lies in adopting reforms that have already worked elsewhere rather than starting from scratch.
“Some countries are not ready to go back and start from zero. They are willing to take up what others have benefited from, of course, within their context,” he said.
He added that the shift is increasingly translating into joint implementation of systems and reforms across countries.
“This shift is increasingly moving cooperation beyond study visits and conferences towards implementation,” he said.
Over the past eight years, RCI has hosted 10,414 delegates from 70 countries, supporting peer learning in governance, digital transformation, and public service delivery.
The institution has also implemented and supported a range of reforms across partner countries, including Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS), e-tax systems, electronic billing platforms, and e-procurement systems in countries such as Guinea and Eswatini, as well as ongoing digital justice reforms in Jamaica.
Niwenshuti said these engagements reflect a growing appetite for collaboration beyond traditional aid structures.
“Already existing relationships indicate that there is an appetite to share knowledge, and it is also possible that even without foreign financing, countries can identify their needs and, where necessary, finance cooperation among themselves,” he said.
United Nations Resident Coordinator a.i. and UNDP Rwanda Resident Representative Fatmata Lovetta Sesay said effective cooperation must ultimately be judged by its impact on citizens, particularly through improved services and stronger institutions.
She highlighted Rwanda’s governance systems, including Umuganda and Imihigo, alongside digital innovations such as online public service platforms and drone-based medical delivery, which are increasingly being studied and adapted by other countries.
“South-South cooperation thrives when people learn from people. Development must remain centered on citizens, services, and trust in institutions,” she said.
She added that cooperation should go beyond technical exchange to strengthen what she described as the social contract between citizens and the state.
Across the discussions, speakers emphasized that South-South cooperation is increasingly shifting from a donor-recipient model to a peer-driven system in which countries of the Global South jointly design, finance, and implement development solutions.
Over the coming days, delegates are expected to explore further financing mechanisms, institutional frameworks, and technical partnerships needed to support this transition from dialogue to delivery.
