Marking a significant milestone in international development cooperation, the China-championed Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCAD) celebrated its 10th anniversary today. The institute, based at Peking University, has become a cornerstone for fostering solidarity, cultivating talent, and advancing sustainable development across the Global South.
The anniversary was commemorated with the Global South Sustainable Development Forum, which convened alongside the 10th Anniversary Conference. Diplomats, scholars, and alumni gathered to reflect on the institute's pivotal role in reshaping global governance dynamics.
"The collective voice of the Global South is not a whisper, but a force reshaping the global governance," said Zimbabwe's Ambassador to China, Abigail Shoniwa, during the event. She highlighted that the Global South now accounts for over 40% of the world's GDP and nearly 60% of the global population.
Justin Lin Yifu, honorary dean of ISSCAD, emphasized the rising influence of the Global South amid accelerating global transformations. "Solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations are more critical than ever to jointly address challenges and seize opportunities," he stated. Lin noted that ISSCAD, as the world's only academic institution dedicated to training senior government officials from developing countries, holds increasingly prominent strategic significance.
Established on April 29, 2016, following an announcement at the UN summit in 2015, ISSCAD has focused on key areas such as national governance, poverty reduction, and economic development. Over the past decade, it has cultivated more than 500 master's and doctoral graduates from over 80 countries, with over 30 alumni holding vice-ministerial-level positions.
Feleke Kebede Bedada, minister plenipotentiary of the Ethiopian Embassy to China, praised ISSCAD alumni for acting as a vital bridge for South-South cooperation. "Having studied here, they gain valuable insights and problem-solving perspectives to apply back in their respective nations," he said.
Eric Dodoo-Amoo, a 2022 doctoral graduate and head of the China Desk at Ghana's Ministry of Finance, highlighted the evolution of China-Global South cooperation. "Over the past 10 years, the cooperation between China and the Global South has transformed from initial financing and infrastructure relationship to knowledge sharing and technology cooperation, as well as trade," he told CGTN Digital.
Dodoo-Amoo also commented on China's decision to expand zero-tariff treatment to all African countries with diplomatic relations, effective May 1, 2026. He described the policy, which adds 20 nations including Ghana, as "potentially transformative," noting its potential to drive industrial planning and structural economic transformation.
As ISSCAD looks to the next decade, its role in strengthening South-South cooperation and contributing to a more equitable global development landscape remains more relevant than ever.
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China-championed institute bolsters South-South cooperation decade on
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