There are many ways in which territorial priorities are being defined and implemented.

Decentralized Cooperation is a development cooperation modality that takes place between Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) and their associations across borders; it mutually reinforces their institutional capacities (and thus promotes local governance and local development) and involves economic and social actors at the local and regional levels with the aim of addressing development challenges. Given the proximity of LRGs to citizens, decentralized development cooperation is an effective modality to promote universal values such as solidarity, equal opportunities, justice and tolerance whilst strengthening partnerships between local communities in developed and developing countries. Decentralized development cooperation initiatives can provide the impetus for mutual understanding, respect, tolerance and solidarity between peoples and citizens of different origins and living in different realities. LRGs consider themselves to be responsible for reinforcing citizens’ commitments through education and awareness raising initiatives, with support from civil society.

South-South Cooperation. A key feature of the evolving development landscape is the increasing importance of South-South Cooperation (SSC), which underscores the leading role of the South in its own development. SSC is a process whereby two or more developing countries pursue their individual and/or shared national development objectives through exchanges of knowledge, skills, resources and technical know-how, and through regional and interregional collective actions, including partnerships involving governments, regional organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector, for their individual and/or mutual benefit within and across regions.

Triangular Cooperation. Another partnership modality that is gaining momentum is triangular cooperation, which involves Southern-driven partnerships between two or more Southern countries, supported by a country (ies) from the North/or multilateral organization(s) to implement development cooperation programmes and projects.