Four projects across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean launched to support South-South cooperation and accelerate UN Sustainable Development Goals.
New Delhi, August 1, 2025 – The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) launched the first tranche of projects under the India UN Global Capacity Building Initiative, led by Secretary (West) Shri Tanmaya Lal. The launch event was attended by Heads of Missions from partner countries, UN Resident Coordinator in India Mr. Shombi Sharp, senior officials from various UN agencies, and MEA representatives.
The initiative was first announced in September 2023 during the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in the presence of External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Since then, the MEA and UN country team in India have worked together to design projects that strengthen South-South cooperation and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
India has long been recognized as a pioneer in global capacity building. Its flagship programme, the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), trains professionals from nearly 160 countries every year, with over 225,000 training slots offered since its inception. The new initiative builds on this experience by collaborating with UN agencies to develop targeted, demand-driven projects.
In the first phase, four projects have been identified:
- Rice Fortification and Supply Chain Management in Nepal with support from the World Food Programme.
- Digital Health Platforms for Zambia and Lao PDR, supported by UNDP.
- Census Preparedness for Belize, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago, supported by UNFPA.
- Vocational Training Programme for South Sudan with UNESCO’s support.
The ITEC training institutes will deliver the training components of these projects, with courses set to begin from September 2025. The collaboration aims to strengthen human resources, create long-term development impact, and accelerate progress towards SDGs in partner countries.
Source & Image Credit: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India (MEA India)
