Reverse Linkage

33 DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION I n light of the new development cooperation archi- tecture, South-South Cooperation (SSC), through its various modalities, is an effective instrument that contributes to the needs of less developed countries in leveraging economic, social and cultural proximities in the spirit of solidarity and equity. Implemented in human- itarian crises, SSC carries a key responsibility to address the most urgent needs in fragile and conflict-affected contexts in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 16 and SDG 17. The global development cooperation landscape is moving far beyond the donor-recipient paradigm and so the development challenges are becoming more complex. In this respect, SSC brings more inclusive, cost-effective and responsive partnerships and solidarity to developing countries through sharing best practice, know-how and economic transition experience such as technology transfers and financing, as well as peer support, regional, and inter- regional initiatives for achieving the 2030 Agenda for SDGs. What South-South Cooperation means to TİKA For decades, Turkey has pursued SSC modalities in order to enhance technical cooperation among developing countries. Turkey first started to provide technical cooperation and assis- tance to Afghanistan in the 1920s in the fields of health and education, followed by the first comprehensive programme- based technical cooperation for some Sub-Saharan African countries in the 1980s. Turkey’s technical cooperation programme was institutionalised by the establishment of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in 1992, commencing in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans, where Turkey has historical and cultural ties. This trend has been succeeded by a rapid transformation, result- ing in a much wider geographical coverage of development partnerships, including countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Pacific and Latin America. TİKA operates through 60 programme coordination offices in 58 countries and imple- ments projects and programmes in more than 150 countries. TİKA considers the entirety of its development coopera- tion portfolio as SSC, with the main thematic areas of focus being education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, good governance, private sector, energy, media, disaster management, transportation, promotion of cultural herit- age, and humanitarian assistance. TİKA’s bespoke, human centred, demand-driven approach are the main elements of its success. Turkey has been supporting SSC dialogues globally, TİKA having hosted the first meeting of the Core Group of Southern Partners in December 2013 in Istanbul. The outcome of the Istanbul meeting prioritised the principles of cooperation in the spirit of solidarity, equality, respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, national ownership, non-conditionality, volunteer- ism, win-win results, equity and social justice. SSC is thus an effective tool in that it enables: • The sharing of best practice and expertise in technical cooperation, capacity building and advocacy for sustain- able and inclusive joint solutions for the next generation • The promotion of human development and the capacity of individuals and joint solutions • Contribution to regional and international development • The enrichment of bilateral development cooperation with the knowledge and experience of partner countries or of international organizations in forming a common agenda for economic, social and humanitarian development. The Reverse Linkage project for capacity development at the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of The Gambia Within the framework of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), created to expand cooperation in enhancing socio-economic development in Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) member countries, it was agreed that Turkish expertise and knowledge in various sectors would be made available through Reverse Linkage (RL) methodology. The MoU was signed in 2014 by TİKA; IsDB; and the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC). The agreement was initiated in response to an official request from the government of The Gambia for capacity development in the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Health Enhancing technical cooperation among developing countries The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency ( )