The intergovernmental organisation of and by the South, for a Third Way of Development
Overview
The Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC) was established on 29 January 2020 by countries and organisations from across the Global South at the International Summit on Balanced and Inclusive Education – III ForumBIE 2030 – held in the Republic of Djibouti.
As the first intergovernmental organisation of and by the Greater South, the OSC acts as an instrument of intellectual, technical and financial cooperation and solidarity between its Member States as well as its Associate Members in the pursuit of a Third Way of Development – from the South, for Humanity.
Mandate
Building Balanced and Inclusive Education Systems
Reinforcing transdisciplinary research and production capacities
Building Southern capacities in contextual and effective research and development, through the democratisation of access and production of knowledge, renewing dialogue between academic and endogenous knowledge domains.
Developing endogenous technologies
Bridging sustainably the techno-digital divide between technology producing and consuming countries, and accelerating the development of national and regional, open-source solutions.
Enhancing fiscal space through debt relief and highly concessional financing for development
Leveraging interventions to optimise sovereignty-enhancing development spending, strengthen debt negotiation strategies, and increase access to fresh, non-conditional finance.
Why an
Organisation
of the South?
The Greater South is constituted of vastly diverse countries, peoples, and cultures who simultaneously share systemic characteristics, challenges, and aspirations. It is, therefore, uniquely positioned to collectively construct and espouse a Third Way of Development emerging through and from education, founded upon the spirit of multilateralism, solidarity, and self-determination.
The OSC acts as a common space and collective instrument for intellectual, technical and financial multilateral cooperation between the countries of the Greater South through the development of innovative mechanisms for coordination and collective negotiation to achieve the vision and aspirations proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education (UDBIE), its mandate, plans and programmes.
18th of May
OSC day
.
A Third Way
of Development
from the South
Contributing to the construction of a Third Way of Development, the OSC further supports Member States in six strategic and sovereignty-enhancing sectors:
Endogenous technology and high value-added industrialisation
Enabling countries of the Greater South to become drivers, instead of remaining passengers, of the 4th Industrial Revolution, and to pass from low to high valued-added content exports.
Infrastructure development
Investing collectively in affordable, accessible, and sustainable infrastructure development, enhancing Southern integration.
Integral health
Addressing health inequalities and inequity, and accounting for the interdependence of human, veterinary, environmental health.
Renewable energy
Advancing a clean and sustainable energy future for Humanity, through energy sovereignty in the Greater South.
Sustainable agriculture
Achieving food sovereignty and building agricultural resilience, adaptation, and sustainability.
Balanced and Inclusive Education (BIE)
Transforming education systems for the 21st century, from the South.
History
High-level regional consultations
High-level Consultation Meetings on Balanced and Inclusive Education (BIE) organised by the Education Relief Foundation (ERF).
I FORUM BIE 2030
Over 85 delegates endorsed the need for the development of a Global Guide of Ethics, Principles, Policies and Practices in Balanced and Inclusive Education based upon the collated regional recommendations.
II FORUM BIE 2030
Launch of the Global Guide of Ethics, Principles, Policies and Practices in Balanced and Inclusive Education, in the presence of high-level, multi-sectoral delegates.
International Call on Balanced and Inclusive Education
An International Call made by 41 signatories, constituting 671 Ministries of Education, Universities, and Civil Society Organisations from over 110 countries, with a mandate for the preparation of a Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education.
III FORUM BIE 2030
Fulfilling the call to action of the International Call for Balanced and Inclusive Education, the III ForumBIE 2030 – International Summit on Balanced and Inclusive Education, was jointly convened with the Presidency of the Republic of Djibouti.
Adoption of the UDBIE and creation of the OSC
Adoption of the Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education (UDBIE), and esstablishment of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC), with the election of the first Secretary-General for a six-year term.
Establishment of the Preparatory Committee
Appointed and Chaired by the Secretary-General-elect, the preparation of the OSC programmes, budget estimates, medium-term-strategy, and institutional structures and procedures prepared.
Operationalisation
Preparing the executive plans for the entry into force.
Entry into force
Celebrating the birth of an International Organisation of the South, conceived for the 21st Century.
General Assembly
First General Assembly of the OSC – 6-8 December Geneva, Switzerland – and swearing-in ceremony of the first Secretary-General.
OSC’s new Headquarters
Hosting Agreement signed with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, establishing OSC’s international Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Consolidating the Secretariat
The establishment of the Secretariat in Addis Ababa, with the opening of an additional 160 posts and subsequent appointments.
Inauguration of the Headquarters
First Conference of Associate Members
Activating a subsidiary organ established by the General Assembly, the Associate Members elected the first Chair of the Conference of Associate Members, Professor Mahouton Norbert Hounkonnou.
First Extraordinary General Assembly
The 1st Extraordinary Session of the General Assembly called on countries of the Global South to work together to amplify their voices and push for creation of systems that are inclusive and balanced, and built on the principles of equality and solidarity to generate prosperity for their peoples.
OEC becomes OSC
Leaders attending the 1st Extraordinary Session of the General Assembly and Summit of the OEC, in Addis Ababa, concluded their Session by adopting the Resolution to change the name of the Organisation to the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC).
