Reverse Linkage

26 REVERSE LINKAGE T riangular Cooperation can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in innova- tive and collaborative ways and provide solutions to overcome today’s environmental, economic and social constraints to development. In addition, according to the results of surveys that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted in 2013 and 2015, Triangular Cooperation is on the rise. Such observations can explain why a core group of coun- tries and international organisations, including the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the OECD, are supporting the new Global Partnership Initiative (GPI) on effective Triangular Cooperation which is providing a global plat- form for exchange and promoting analysis, advocacy and awareness-raising that will better situate Triangular Cooperation in the current development landscape. Themain comparative advantage of Triangular Cooperation is that all partners transfer knowledge and expertise which encourages co-creation and can lead to additional benefits, including enhanced ownership of the activity, the transfer of solutions that are cost-effective and better adapted to the needs of the beneficiary country, or the establishment of a partnership that continues beyond the duration of the activity. In fact, the first meetings on Triangular Cooperation in Lisbon (in 2012 and 2013) organised by the Government of Portugal and the OECDpaved the way for a deeper understanding of Triangular Cooperation. The members of the GPI took up the conclusions fromthese dialogues that Triangular Cooperation is amodality in its own right that requires at least three roles being repre- sented, with each potentially having more than one actor: • The facilitator helps to connect countries and organiza- tions to form a triangular partnership and gives financial and/or technical support to the collaboration • The pivotal partner often has proven experience and shares its resources, knowledge and expertise through Triangular Cooperation • The beneficiary partner is the target for the develop- ment results to be achieved in line with their national development priorities and needs. It is responsible for ensuring that results are sustainable. Partners can take on various aspects of all roles throughout the lifetime of the collaboration or can play different roles in other activities or partnerships. This understanding has been used when talking about Triangular Cooperation in this article. Key characteristics of Triangular Cooperation Interest in Triangular Cooperation is long-standing, yet most studies have focused on the experiences of Latin America and the Caribbean and its use by members of the OECDDevelopment Assistance Committee (DAC).Through its analytical work and efforts to build up the evidence base, the OECD has found that Triangular Cooperation takes place across the world, including among the IsDB member states. The key characteristics are: Characteristic #1 The OECD surveys found an increase in the number of Triangular Cooperation projects as well as their budgets and durations, which indicates a growing interest in the benefits that Triangular Cooperation can bring. The OECD is working to track and measure triangular activities more accurately through its statistical system. Characteristic #2 Triangular Cooperation is typically planned using the same procedures as any other cooperation project. Guidelines have been developed in many countries, international organizations and regions, for instance by the Ibero- American Programme for the Strengthening of South-South Cooperation (PIFCSS). The GPI is compiling available guide- lines in other countries and regions. Characteristic #3 The OECD is developing a toolkit to evaluate Triangular Cooperation activities better by capturing their compara- Triangular Cooperation – characteristics, realities and opportunities Nadine Piefer and Juan Casado-Asensio, 1 OECD Development Cooperation Directorate