Political and technical foundations for measuring South-South cooperation

Abstract

Development cooperation is a central theme that mobilizes governments, civil society organizations, and international bodies, guided by ideals of aid, solidarity, and the creation of new development platforms. One of the most relevant debates in the field of South-South Cooperation (SSC) in the 21st century is its measurement. The goal of this article is to identify and analyze the political and technical foundations that support the measurement of South-South Cooperation, proposing a conceptual framework that highlights the essential elements and variables for the formulation of an effective measurement policy for this cooperation. The analysis, therefore, seeks to answer the central question: What are the principles that underpin the measurement of South-South Cooperation, and which elements and variables should be considered in this process? The central hypothesis suggests that behind the technical issues of quantifying SSC, there are complex political factors that cannot be overlooked, especially due to the lack of global reference parameters. The article explores how political factors, such as generosity, mobilization of inter-bureaucratic interests, and power relations, influence the measurement process, as well as discussing the multiple technical choices related to the modalities, sectors, and financial instruments of cooperation. The conceptual framework of this article is based on the conceptual discussions of SSC, which encompass the different forms of cooperation between developing countries, as well as the challenges, opportunities, and political and technical dynamics that arise from these interactions. The proposal is to offer a critical analysis of how the measurement of SSC should be conducted, highlighting the political and technical implications involved in the construction of this practice.