active · Governance

Strategic engagement for regional impact: A multi-event initiative under the ARO catalytic fund

For nearly five decades, IDRC has invested in high-quality research and innovation in developing countries to foster a more sustainable and inclusive world. This funding has also amplified the voices of scholars from the Global South in global policy debates and forums. To further enhance IDRC’s role as a catalyst for transformative development solutions, it is essential to synthesize and share knowledge from IDRC-supported projects for greater uptake and impact. In pursuit of this objective, IDRC’s Asia Regional Office (ARO) is launching two complementary strategic positioning initiatives. The first is a regional conference in Nepal entitled “Research for sustainable development: Building a greener, inclusive and resilient South Asia”. This event will examine regional research priorities, highlight evidence from IDRC-supported projects and showcase their contributions to policy and program development. The conference will build on IDRC’s decade-long investments in South Asia, laying the foundation for future research initiatives that unlock the region’s untapped potential. The second initiative, entitled “Sustaining the Global South’s contributions to the G20 under South Africa’s presidency”, marks the culmination of a series of Global South-led presidencies. As the G20 leadership shifts back to Northern countries in 2026, it is critical to understand the influence of Southern-led institutions in shaping the global agenda. ARO and IDRC’s regional offices in Eastern and Southern Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean will each commission a background paper within their respective regions to build on the progress made during the past three presidencies and contribute to shaping policy discussions and recommendations for the current presidency. These efforts will culminate in a high-profile G20 side event in South Africa (September–October 2025), co-funded by the three regional offices. This event will serve as a platform to ensure that the Global South’s critical development challenges remain central to the G20 discourse, reinforcing the long-term impact of Southern-led contributions to global governance.