In her input Ms Mncube stated that the strategic plan of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation for 2009-2012 outlined South-South Cooperation as one of its key strategic directives most significantly to enhance South Africa's developmental agenda. For South Africa, South - South cooperation was a key platform to pursue cooperation in the critical fields of science, technology and trade. It also provided for the strengthening of solidarity amongst the nations of the South and could be used as an avenue to form interdependent relationships which had the potential to address issues such as poverty, education, unemployment, health and the general development of the population.