Council of Representatives

Chair’s Statement to 25th Council Meeting, 8 May 2025

Statement of President Mbeki under the Council Agenda Item 5

8 May 2025

Pres. Thabo Mbeki, Chair of the South Centre Board, thanked the Centre for continuing to work for the adoption of frameworks, rules & policies that promote the common interest of the Global South. He also called on Member States to address structural asymmetries & support efforts to achieve SDGs, as well as to ensure the Centre’s sustainability. In commemoration of the South Centre’s 30th anniversary this year, he also expressed that the Centre is proud to have preserved the values and have worked hard to make a reality the visions and aspirations of the founders of the Centre, led by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, one of the great leaders of the Global South.

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Pres. Mandela’s Address to 2nd SC Council, 21 September 1998

Address by President Nelson Mandela at the opening session of the South Centre’s Council of Representatives

New York, 21 September 1998

As the premier source of research on issues affecting the South, and growing out of the work and experience of the South Commission, the Centre plays a role whose value for the developing world cannot be underestimated…

…it is indeed a great privilege for me to express our gratitude to Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and all the other pioneers of the South Centre. I hope that we in the NAM and G77 plus China will redouble our efforts to support the South Centre so that it in turn helps us achieve our objective of over coming poverty and promoting peace.

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South Centre Member States Statements – 24th Council of Representatives Meeting, Geneva, 18 April 2024

Member States Statements at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Representatives of the South Centre

Geneva, 18 April 2024

This document includes the statement made by H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki, Chairman of the South Centre Board under agenda item 5 of the meeting “Statement by the Chairman of the Board of the South Centre”, the report made by Dr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre under agenda item 4 “Activities and finances of the South Centre: Report by the Executive Director”, the closing remarks made by H.E. Mr. Ajit Kumar, Convenor of the Council of Representatives of the South Centre, and also interventions made by member countries at the meeting under agenda item 8 “General Statements from Representatives”.

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South Centre Annual Report 2023

South Centre Annual Report 2023

The South Centre carries out multiple activities to support developing countries with policy-oriented research, inputs and advice for negotiations and capacity building. See a summary of the South Centre’s activities in the Annual Report 2023.

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23rd SC Council Members Statements, 27 April 2023

Member States Statements at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Representatives of the South Centre

Geneva, 27 April 2023

This document includes the statement made by H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki, Chairman of the South Centre Board under agenda item 5 of the meeting “Statement by the Chairman of the Board of the South Centre”, the report made by Dr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre under agenda item 4 “Activities and finances of the South Centre: Report by the Executive Director”, and also interventions made by member countries at the meeting under agenda item 8 “General Statements from Representatives”.

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South Centre Annual Report 2022

South Centre Annual Report 2022

Read the South Centre Annual Report 2022 for an analysis of the situation faced by our members & other developing countries & for a summary of the Centre’s activities in 2022.

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Members Statements – 22nd Council Meeting, 24 February 2022

Member States Statements at the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Representatives of the South Centre

The 22nd Meeting of the Council of Representatives of the South Centre took place virtually on 24 February. Member States expressed their views on the Centre’s research & analyses, meetings & webinars and policy & technical advice during the last year and its continued support to developing countries during the challenging context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a compilation of their statements.

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Statement of the Chair of the SC Board to the 22nd Council Meeting, 24 February 2022

STATEMENT OF THE CHAIPERSON OF THE SOUTH CENTRE BOARD, THABO MBEKI: COUNCIL OF MEMBER STATES, 24 FEBRUARY 2022

Once again the health, economic and social crisis caused by COVID-19 forces us to hold this meeting virtually. The deterioration of the situation in developing countries, to which I alluded two years ago, has only worsened. The gap between the countries of the North and the global South has widened. The lack of solidarity and selfishness of the countries of the North has led to the inequality in access to vaccines that we all know today.

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that we must completely rethink the value we place on the health sector. The billions needed to prevent and respond to health crises are nothing compared to the billions lost in business closures, job losses and economic paralysis that are the cost to the global economy of a health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The South Centre, in this second year of the pandemic, has continued to adapt and innovate in its ways to support and accompany developing countries in this challenging context.

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Statements, March 2021

Statements made at the 21st Meeting of the Council of Representatives of the South Centre

This document includes the statement made by H.E. Mr. Thabo Mbeki, Chairman of the South Centre Board under the agenda item 5 of the meeting “Statement by the Chairman of the Board of the South Centre” and also twenty-four interventions made by member countries at the meeting under the agenda item 7 “General Statements from Representatives”.

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Statement, February 2021

STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF THE SOUTH CENTRE, H.E. MR. THABO MBEKI, TWENTY-FIRST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE SOUTH CENTRE, 11 FEBRUARY 2021

The unprecedented health, economic and social crisis that the world has faced since last year has severely hit our developing countries and undermined their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In some cases, the progress made over the last decade, particularly in reducing poverty, has been lost. The effects of this crisis have not been felt equally among all countries either. It has exacerbated the profound economic and social inequalities affecting the poorer countries and the most vulnerable…

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