According to the "Framework of operational guidelines on United Nations support to South-South and triangular cooperation: Note by the Secretary-General", submitted to the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation in April 2012, "South-South Cooperation" and "Triangular Cooperation" can be defined as follows:

South-South Cooperation: a process whereby two or more developing countries pursue their individual and/or shared national capacity 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. This process is guided by mutual benefit between countries, respect for national sovereignty and ownership, establishment of partnership among equals, non-conditionality in cooperation and non-interference in domestic affairs.

Triangular Cooperation: a process involving southern-driven partnerships between two or more developing countries supported by a developed country (ies) /or multilateral organization(s) to implement development cooperation programs and projects.