“The terms ‘North’ and ‘South’ have become part of political and economic discourse, at least since the 1970s. But the terminology may be as misleading as it is erroneous. Not only do all the states of the South not actually fall within that hemisphere, but there is considerable diversity amidst their ranks. As a result, although the notion of South-South co-operation belongs to
contemporary political parlance, it is still as unclear as it was in the 1970s. This much is perhaps to be expected of a notion which confuses geographical and hemispheric boundaries in the search for analytical convenience and the need to make a political statement.The functional needs which help to inspire such co-operation require to be spelled out, given the historical dependence of the South upon the North. The benefits of such synergy need to be assessed.Two recent developments strengthen the requirement for improved co-operation across the globe. Firstly the economic growth of key states, particularly in Latin America and Asia, although some African states are also beginning to exhibit signs of economic recovery.Second, there has been demonstrable progress towards the establishment of regional economic groupings. These two developments have hastened the need for greater functional collaboration.”
