Interoperation of cooperation information systems

Montevideo, June 2, 2025

On May 20, Sofis Solutions participated in a meeting convened by SEGIB in Madrid, alongside representatives from countries, TOSSD, and UNCTAD, where the main technical and semantic challenges to achieving interoperability between cooperation information systems were discussed.

Information systems play an increasingly important role in the field of international cooperation. They are fundamental tools that help governments and organizations make informed decisions based on reliable and up-to-date data.

In this context, the Integrated Ibero-American Data System for South-South and Triangular Cooperation—developed by Sofis Solutions for the Ibero-American Program for the Strengthening of South-South Cooperation (PIFCSS)—has positioned itself as a central piece. Today, it is the main tool used by the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) for the preparation of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Report in Ibero-America.

At the global level, other initiatives have also invested in developing similar systems. Such is the case of Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) and UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development).

Although these platforms were created for different purposes, they all share a common goal: to systematize and analyze information related to international cooperation. Therefore, advancing towards greater integration and interoperability among them is not only desirable but possibly advantageous. If these systems can “speak the same language,” data could be exchanged automatically, criteria aligned, and indicators consolidated to strengthen the quality and usefulness of the information. All of this would have a direct impact on decision-making at national, regional, and global levels, while simplifying countries’ reporting activities.

In this regard, on May 20, 2025, a key meeting was held at the SEGIB headquarters in Madrid, with representatives from Ibero-American countries, SEGIB, TOSSD, and UNCTAD. The focus of the meeting was to discuss how to technically connect the different information systems. Within this framework, Sofis Solutions presented an interoperability proposal based on an analysis of the current state of the systems and the challenges involved in automating data exchange and processing in a context marked by advances in artificial intelligence.

During the day, the different levels required for this interoperability were explored:

• At the technical level, mechanisms needed for systems to exchange data despite using different formats or protocols were analyzed. 
• At the semantic level, the challenge is to ensure that the data share the same meaning beyond how they are expressed. A clear example is how the activity sector is classified in each system. While one may group under “Health” or “Education,” another may break it down into subcategories like “Primary care” or “Technical training.” Moreover, some report progress based on executed actions, while others do so based on disbursements, which can lead to different interpretations about the actual number of initiatives developed during a given period.

Overcoming these differences is not trivial but opens the door to a much more integrated and accurate view of the cooperation landscape. It would allow for clearer identification of trends, information gaps, and opportunities.

Interoperability of these systems involves facing technical and conceptual challenges but also represents a great opportunity to strengthen transparency, coherence, and the impact of development policies. The convergence between tools like SIDICSS, the TOSSD standard, and UNCTAD’s statistical mechanisms could mark a turning point in how information related to international cooperation is managed.

Sofis Solutions has been working precisely in this direction. It develops solutions that integrate data architecture, open standards, and applied artificial intelligence, with a focus on sustainability, regional cooperation, and the strategic use of information. All with the goal of contributing to more efficient, connected cooperation with greater real impact.