A United Nations resolution has this month called for a second International Year of Cooperatives in 2025.
The Third Committee of the UN, at its 47th plenary meeting – General Assembly, 78th session accepted the resolution on 3 November.
The text encourages the UN, its member states and all other relevant stakeholders to take advantage of the International Year of Cooperatives as a way of promoting co-ops and raising awareness of their contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and to overall social and economic development.
The resolution further draws governments’ attention to the recommendations of the 2023 UN Secretary General report on co-operatives in social development to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for cooperatives as sustainable and successful business enterprises.
Presented by the Mongolian representation to the UN, draft resolution L 11: Co-operatives in social development, co-sponsored by more than 100 countries, highlights how “co-operatives and people-centred enterprises bring people together in a more democratic and equal way”.
With around 3 million co-operatives employing 10% of the world’s workers, the “model is particularly relevant in this post-pandemic period for creating decent jobs for a more inclusive and resilient recovery to address inequalities and for the sustainable development over this year,” said the Mongolian delegation.
The resolution also highlights the sector’s potential to contribute to fod security and sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems; the economic status of women; and the wellbeing and development of all persons, including youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and rural communities.
“The very first international year of cooperatives was celebrated in 2012 and had huge successes in promoting co-operatives and raising awareness of their contribution to the implementation of the development goals at all levels,” the delegate added.
“During this positive experience in this draft resolution, we are calling to proclaim another International Year of Co-operatives in 2025.”
