Since November 2018, Dr. Husna Ahmad OBE, CEO of Global One, has served as the coordinator of the ANCSSC. Formed in 2017, the ANCSSC aims to promote collective self-reliance among development actors across the Global South. Those in the Global South stand to gain the most from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, while also bearing the greatest burden of poverty, climate change, and underdevelopment. Crucially, these communities are often those who best understand their own needs and realities, making NGOs and CSOs from the Global South the most effective leaders in the development process.
Traditional North-South development models have often hindered the capacity building of these local actors by failing to encourage horizontal relationships between NGOs and CSOs on the ground. Many of these organisations already struggle with limited resources, institutional access, and communication challenges. The ANCSSC seeks to overcome these barriers, working within the broader framework of South-South Cooperation to empower civil society and strengthen its role in the development process.
Rooted in principles of South-South Cooperation, the ANCSSC builds on a long history of collaboration first articulated at the Buenos Aires Conference in 1978. The Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) that emerged from this conference enshrined the principles of South-South Cooperation and affirmed a commitment to building collective self-reliance. While considerable progress has been made in intergovernmental relations over the previous 50 years, the potential of South-South Cooperation for NGOs and CSOs has been underplayed.
The ANCSSC, working closely with the UNOSSC, aims to fill this gap in the South-South Cooperation framework. The potential of NGOs and CSOs to contribute to developmental goals was formally recognised at the Ninth Global South-South Development Expo in Antalya, Turkey, 2017, where the ANCSSC was originally formed. By offering a space to enhance coordination and encourage communication, the ANCSSC strives to boost the independence and capacity of NGOs and CSOs, accelerate progress toward the SDGs, and provide the foundation for a more inclusive, sustainable, and effective development framework.
Goals of the ANCSSC:
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Strengthen the capacity of NGOs and CSOs by facilitating the exchange of experiences, expertise, best practices, and resources
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Encourage collaboration and partnerships in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals
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Advocate for and popularise South-South Cooperation approaches, ensuring broader recognition and adoption
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Provide a unified platform for organisations to articulate shared principles and concepts guiding South-South Cooperation
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Please visit the link to find Global One 2015’s publication on their role in South-South Cooperation
For more information about the ANCSSC please visit our website: https://ancssc.com/
