United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation High-level panel discussion
Statement by H.E. Jeem Lippwe, Permanent Representative
New York, 11 September 2026
Micronesia is honored to join this year’s observance of the United Nations Day for South‑South Cooperation. The theme, “Solidarity Rising: Global Alliance for Inclusive and Innovative Development,” captures a truth that resonates deeply with Small Island Developing States: our challenges are shared, and our solutions must be shared as well.
As we mark this United Nations Day for South‑South Cooperation, Micronesia reaffirms its commitment to strengthening partnerships, sharing solutions, and contributing to collective progress. The message of this day is clear: when countries work together, everyone benefits.
Micronesia also welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance for South‑South and Triangular Cooperation, a platform that will help countries connect solutions, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate progress.
Across the Global South, solidarity is rising. Countries are exchanging knowledge, adapting proven approaches, and scaling innovations that improve lives. This momentum is emerging despite a difficult global landscape, one marked by rising debt burdens, climate‑related disasters, rapid digital transformation, and widening uncertainty. For Micronesia, climate change remains an existential concern, threatening the security, livelihoods, and resilience of our communities. In such a context, South–South cooperation is indispensable.
Our own experience demonstrates the value of this approach. Micronesia expresses its deep appreciation to India for the India–UN Development Partnership Fund, whose support exemplifies the spirit of solidarity, shared progress and genuine partnership. The Fund has implementedprojects in the countries around the world reflecting the expanding reach and impact of Global South cooperation.
For Micronesia, we are benefiting from a suite of initiatives under the India–UN Development Partnership Fund that advance nationally identified priorities and deliver practical, people‑centered results. These efforts support our transition to clean energy, strengthen climate preparedness, reinforce inclusive institutions and gender equality, and expand access to essential health services across our islands. Together, they reflect the spirit of South–South cooperation by translating shared experience and solidarity into practical improvements in the lives of our communities.
These initiatives reflect the essence of South‑South cooperation: solutions shared across the Global South, adapted to local contexts, and implemented in ways that improve lives. They demonstrate that cooperation is not only about infrastructure or technology; it is fundamentally about people, about resilience, opportunity, and dignity.
