At its 54th regular session, held virtually, the UNTFSSE welcomed the inclusion of references to cooperatives and the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in the Doha Political Declaration, whose text will be formally adopted by Member States during the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled for 4–6 November.
However, UNTFSSE members and observers cautioned that recognition alone is not enough. They stressed that, with the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 coming to a close, without sustained commitment to relevant developments, the most recent advances risk being reversed.
They also warned about the increasing budgetary pressures faced by UN agencies and other international organizations, “which are already affecting work related to the SSE.” They further noted that no secured funding is yet available for several planned activities, including the preparatory work for the UN Secretary-General’s 2026 report on promoting the SSE for sustainable development.
Technical Symposium in Murcia
The Secretariat also reported on the preparations for the 5th Technical Symposium of the UNTFSSE, to be held in Murcia, Spain, on 4–5 December 2025. The event will set priorities for the 2026–2027 period and contribute to the next Secretary-General’s report, aligning its content with broader global agendas, including follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development.
Finally, a new publication by the UNTFSSE Technical Working Group on Access to Finance, led by UNCTAD, was presented: Boosting the contribution of social and solidarity economy entities to sustainable development: A collection of good practices to strengthen their access to finance.
The document, sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy and coordinated by Víctor Meseguer, is a public policy report and a compendium of good practices. It proposes strategies to help SSE entities strengthen their access to finance and contribute to sustainable development. The report outlines multilateral and national approaches, recognizes the dual role of the SSE, and upholds and promotes its core values.
