FAO.org

In 1974, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 3251 (XXIX), endorsed "the establishment of a special unit within the United Nations Development Programme to promote technical co-operation among developing countries".

With the endorsement of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries by the General Assembly in 1978 (resolution 33/134), the Special Unit was strengthened in order to fulfil its primary mandate, set forth in BAPA: to promote, coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system.