South Centre (SC)
2020-07-27 22:50

1.Brief Introduction to the South Centre

The South Centre is the intergovernmental organization of developing countries that helps developing countries to combine their efforts and expertise to promote their common interests in the international arena. Its mission is guided by two principles: South unity in diversity and South progress through cooperation.

The South Centre was established by an Intergovernmental Agreement which came into force on 31 July 1995. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

The South Centre undertakes research and analysis oriented on various international policy areas that are relevant to the protection and promotion of the development interests of developing countries. The South Centre helps the countries of the South to develop common points of view and to work together on major international development-related policy issues. Within the limits of its capacity and mandate, the South Centre also responds to requests for policy advice and for technical and other support from collective entities of the South such as the Group of 77 and China and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The South Centre works on a wide range of issues relevant to the countries of the South and the global community in general, such as development policies, sustainable development, climate change, global governance, economic and social development, South-South cooperation, global economic conditions, intellectual property, technology transfer, access to knowledge, health, trade agreements and food security.

The South Centre has three principal organs:

The Council of Representatives made up of the representatives of the Member Countries.

The Board made up of a Chairperson and nine members acting in their personal capacity. The Board is appointed by the Council of Representatives and reflects a broad geographical balance among the countries of the South.

The Secretariat, headed by an Executive Director. The Secretariat is in charge of implementing the objectives of the South Centre.

2.China and South Centre

China formally joined the South Centre in 1995. Two sides maintain a long-term cooperative relationship in the field such as international trade and investment, human rights, health, and climate change. Mr. Chen Xu, ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, is China’s representative of the Council of Representatives. Mr. Wu Hailong, president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, has been board member since May 2016. In November 2015, China hosted the 35th Board Meeting of South Center in Beijing.