External publications

Africa beyond ‘South-South cooperation’: a frame with limited resonance

Haug, Sebastian / Cynthia M. Kamwengo
External Publications (2023)

Journal of International Development 35 (4), Special Issue: China and India in Africa, 549-565

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3690
Open access

With reference to frames as socially determined definitions of reality, this paper examines the discrepancies between the prominence of ‘South-South cooperation’ terminology in globally dominant discourses and its limited usage by African stakeholders. Based on insights from the United Nations, (cross-)regional collaboration formats and bilateral cooperation, we find that African officials employ ‘South-South’ terminology mainly when ‘Northern’ partners are present but use other frames when engaging with developing countries. This limited resonance poses a challenge to multilateral organisations and traditional donors in their attempts to expand engagement with ‘South-South’ relations. A focus on the usage and effects of frames, we argue, can clarify the assumptions based on which international cooperation unfolds.