South Centre in collaboration with IT for Change and Center of Policy Research and Governance, with the support of the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva
Monday, 17 November 2025, 13:15 – 14:15, Palais des Nations, Room VIII, Geneva
Held in preparation for the AI Impact Summit 2026, this event will discuss how countries can work together to ensure Artificial Intelligence supports inclusive and sustainable development, strengthens national and regional capacities, and promotes equitable participation in global AI governance.
Statement by South Centre at the Ministerial Meeting on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development (G20 Task Force)
30 September 2025, Cape Town
The South Centre welcomes the G20’s effort to advance meaningful participation of developing countries in shaping a fair, safe, secure, responsible, inclusive, ethical, trustworthy, and sustainable global AI landscape. Data governance is a foundation for equitable AI. Countries are entitled to develop and adopt regulatory frameworks for AI systems, including to reflect diverse knowledge systems and fair remuneration for data contributions.
Taking Forward Digital Public Infrastructure for the Global South
By Danish
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has received significant attention for its role in promoting inclusive and effective digital transformation, particularly in the countries of the global South. Elevated onto the global agenda under India’s Group of Twenty (G20) Presidency in 2023, DPIs are now considered as key digital solutions for providing essential services like digital identity, financial inclusion, and access to e-governance platforms. Yet, realizing the full potential of DPI in developing countries requires building a policy and regulatory framework that fosters trust, protects rights and addresses persistent digital divides. Robust institutions and governance mechanisms are equally essential to ensure that DPI adoption is inclusive, equitable and aligned to national priorities.
This paper provides a snapshot of the recent policy and regulatory developments on DPI, as well as the relevant stakeholders at the national and international levels. It then considers the challenges of the digital divide for developing countries and briefly presents some national experiences on the use of DPIs for increasing financial inclusion and promoting e-governance. The paper concludes by offering some recommendations to fully harness the benefits of DPI for accelerating sustainable development and digital transformation in the countries of the global South.
International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South
September 16, 2025
Dr. Carlos Correa, South Centre Executive Director, highlighted the transformative role of S&T. He also noted that despite the enormous historical North-South asymmetry in the capacity to generate S&T, developing countries’ share of global R&D has increased steadily in the last two decades, while many countries still invest less than 1% of their GDP in R&D.
The AI Race: A Tightrope Walk Between Innovation, Inclusivity and Prosperity for All
By Daniel Uribe Terán
The intensifying global race in Artificial Intelligence (AI) forces nations to walk a tightrope, balancing the drive for rapid innovation against the imperatives of fairness, safety and inclusivity. This tension is reflected in recent high-level international summits and the diverging regulatory paradigms emerging globally, most notably between the market-driven, largely deregulatory approach of the United States and the human-centric, risk-based model favoured by the European Union. Such divergence contributes to a fragmented governance landscape, posing significant challenges for developing countries, which face the risk of marginalisation due to disparities in infrastructure, resources, and technical capacity. Some of these countries have put in place proactive strategies as they endeavour to walk the tightrope between innovation and fairness in the unfolding AI era.
Navigating the WTO’s Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology: A Critical Analysis from the Perspective of Developing Countries
By Nirmalya Syam
This paper critically analyzes the operations and effectiveness of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology (WGTTT). Despite the establishment of the WGTTT in 2001 with a mandate to enhance technology flows to developing countries, the Group has struggled to produce meaningful outcomes due to divergent priorities between developed and developing countries. This paper finds that the WGTTT remains an exploratory discussion forum rather than a negotiation platform with the capacity to generate new initiatives that address the technology transfer needs of developing countries. Key reforms are proposed, including transitioning to a negotiation-oriented approach, improving the balance of member priorities, and focusing on actionable themes to enhance the WGTTT effectiveness in fostering technology transfer to developing countries.
The Vaccine Industry After the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Perspective
By Felix Lobo
The purpose of this report is to analyze the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the vaccine industry from an international perspective. The objective is to learn from the experience and contribute to the design of better tools for future vaccine development and manufacturing, as we must be prepared for future emerging infectious diseases with the potential for global expansion. This industry makes fundamental contributions to global social welfare, but from a business point of view it is complex and difficult to manage, and from an economic point of view it is an industry that does not fit the paradigm of competitive market efficiency with notorious market failures.
We examine the impact of the pandemic on innovation and the scientific, technological and industrial development of vaccines and find that certain elements of the industry’s structure have changed, while others have remained. We also summarize the lessons learned from the deployment of some public policies to boost supply and drive demand, paying particular attention to the inequity in the global distribution of vaccines and to the COVAX program. We conclude that some of the policies have been very effective, while others have not fully achieved their objectives. From the achievements and limitations, lessons can be drawn for the reformulation and expansion of global public policies that would stimulate R&D, manufacturing, distribution and access.
Unveiling the Controversies: ICTs in Agriculture and the Challenges for Africa
By Ruthbetha Kateule and Thaura Ghneim-Herrera
The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in African agriculture presents both significant opportunities and challenges. While ICTs can enhance efficiency and productivity, addressing the digital divide and structural inequalities is crucial for their effective implementation. It is imperative to incorporate local knowledge and address region-specific challenges to ensure that these technologies are accessible and beneficial to all, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Moving forward, a balanced approach that focuses on sustainable development, equitable access, and environmental stewardship will be key to realizing the full potential of smart agriculture in Africa and the Global South.
This paper presents a summary of a research conducted with the support of the Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions (MAK’IT) of the University of Montpellier, within the framework of the 2024 COHORT programme, and the cooperation of the South Centre.
Proposal for a new Article 11bis in the WHO Pandemic Accord: a Pandemic Technology Transfer Mechanism
by Olga Gurgula and Luke McDonagh
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the failure of voluntary mechanisms during global emergencies and exemplifies the need for effective involuntary technology transfer tools. The WHO Pandemic Accord offers an opportunity to provide an effective mechanism to build upon existing TRIPS flexibilities in the specific pandemic context. We propose a new provision (Article 11bis) that outlines a mechanism on cross-border procedure of non-voluntary technology transfer during a pandemic. This procedure could be invoked in a pandemic scenario in which voluntary technology transfer mechanisms have failed to provide sufficient supplies of a needed pandemic product.
How Should the WHO Pandemic Treaty Negotiations Tackle Intellectual Property?
By Viviana Muñoz Tellez
The WHO pandemic instrument should commit the Parties to limit the exclusionary effects that government-granted patents and other IPRs may have during pandemics in support of rapid diffusion of new vaccines, diagnostics, medicines and other tools and facilitate collaboration and freedom to operate. The current draft text of Article 11 would not make any change to the status quo.
This Policy Brief discusses issues concerning trade, intellectual property, and technology transfer that are most relevant for consideration at the 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13) in February 2024 and inclusion in its outcomes.
The following recommendations are proposed:
TRIPS non-violation and situation complaints: MC13 Decision on the scope and modalities of non-violation and situation complaints under the Agreement on Trade related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). A second option is to extend the moratorium.
TRIPS, diagnostics and therapeutics for COVID-19: MC13 Decision that extends the MC12 TRIPS waiver Decision (only applicable to vaccines) to diagnostics and therapeutics
Relationship between TRIPS and the Convention on Biological Diversity: to be addressed in the MC13 Outcome Document
Follow up to the MC12 Declaration on the WTO Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Preparedness for Future Pandemics: to be addressed in the MC13 Outcome Document
Relationship of trade and technology transfer: include in the MC13 Outcome Document to reinvigorate and give direction to the Working Group on Trade and Technology Transfer (WGTTT) and increase attention in all relevant bodies on how the WTO can promote technology transfer
