The main objective of this side event is to follow up on UNGA resolution 79/213, adopted in December 2024, that “encourages Member States to consider how the social and solidarity economy could contribute to and feature in relevant upcoming multilateral processes, such as the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development”.
Side-event Details
Date: Wednesday, 2 July, 2025.
Time: 14:30-16:00 CEST
Place: Room Side Event 2, FIBES, Sevilla
Organized by: the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS), the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV) and the United Nations inter-agency Task Force on the Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE).
In collaboration with: the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy of Spain, the Special Administrative Unit of Solidarity Organisations of the Ministry of Labor of Colombia and the Iberoamerican Network of Governments for the Social and Solidarity Economy (RIFESS)
With the support of: Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation of the Government of Catalonia (ACCD)
Background
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 77/281 on “Promoting the social and solidarity economy for sustainable development”, adopted in April 2023, recognizes the contribution of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) to the multiple dimensions of sustainable development and encourages a range of policies at local, national, regional and global levels, including to address the financial challenges faced by SSE entities to develop and scale up their contribution to sustainable development.
The follow-up 2024 UNGA resolution further calls on member States to “facilitating access for social and solidarity economy entities to financial services and funding, and capacity-building; and for the FfD4 process and its follow up to “Encourages multilateral, international and regional financial institutions and development banks to support the social and solidarity economy, including through existing and new financial instruments and mechanisms adapted to all stages of development”.
The role of SSE for resilient, inclusive and sustainable economies, in addition to being recognized in the two UN resolutions, was also recognized in the ILO resolution on decent work and SSE, the OECD Recommendation on SSE and social innovation, the European Commission Social Economy Action Plan, the African Union’s Ten-year SSE Strategy and Implementation Plan, and the creation of the Ibero-American Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy (RIFESS). This has been making it imperative to include SSE in the FfD4 outcome and its follow-up. A concerted effort during the negotiations by a number of Member States and civil society organizations from North and South, with support from the United Nations inter-agency Task Force on the Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE), has made it possible to incorporate commitments to provide financial and other support to SSE in the final FfD4 outcome document, the Compromiso de Sevilla, to be formally adopted at the FfD4 Conference. The SSE components are the following:
- Under section I. A renewed global financing for development framework: Para. 21. “We will invest in productive sectors, the creation of decent jobs at scale, and skills development to enable all people to benefit from inclusive, equitable and sustainable economic growth. We will…facilitate the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and social and solidarity economy…”
- Under section II.B. Domestic and international private business and finance: Para. 32.h): “We encourage support for social and solidarity economy entities including access to tailored financial and non-financial assistance from local, national, and international financial institutions.”
For developing countries that have already included SSE as part of their sustainable development plans and strategies but need external public development financing to support these national goals, the following clause offers immense potential already envisaged in the UNGA resolutions on SSE:
- Under section II.A. Domestic public resources: Para. 30.b): “We encourage MDBs [Multilateral Development Banks] and development partners to enhance financial and technical support to national PDBs [Public Development Banks] in their efforts to provide long-term low-cost financing to invest in sustainable development.We also encourage MDBs and other development institutions to work as a system through enhanced cooperation and coordination with national development banks, in support of national priorities and plans”
This side event will firstly take stock of efforts by some Member States and civil society organizations that have been advocating for the inclusion of SSE in the FfD4 outcome document. It will also discuss possible ways forward to implement the mandate of Resolution 79/213. Secondly, this event will be the opportunity to share practical ways to optimally scale out financing of SSE, especially in developing countries, based on the report of the Technical Working Group on Financial Access and Support for SSE entities(TWG) of the UNTFSSE: “Strengthening Access to Finance and Support for SSE entities: a collection of good practices” and the United Nations inter-agency Task Force on the Social and Solidarity Economy Policy Brief “Financing for development: Unlocking the potential of the social and solidarity economy”.
Agenda
Moderation and presentation of the event: Ms. Sandra Moreno Cadena, Executive Secretary of RIPESS.
Part One: The SSE in the FfD4 process: Assessments and perspectives
- Ms. Cristina Gonzalez Cebas, Deputy Director General of the Special Commissioner for Social Economy, Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Spain.
- Dr. Alioune Dione, Minister of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, Senegal.
- Dr. Bruno Nabagné Koné, Minister of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning, Côte d’Ivoire.
- Mr. Mauricio Rodriguez, Director Social Prosperity Department and Sebastian Garaviño, Direction Team, Unidad Solidaria, Ministry of Labor, Colombia.
Part Two: Practical Approaches to Strengthening and Scaling Up Financing for Social and Solidarity Economy in the Global South
Moderation: Mr. Carlos Freitas, Executive Director of the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV).
- Mr. Ignacio Coriazzoli Hugues, Managing Director for Resource Mobilization and Global Alliances, Developmental Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF)
- Ms. Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of the Nouakchott Region, Mauritania.
- Mr. Philippe Akoa, CEO of the Special Funds for Equipment and Intervention of Cameroun (FEICOM).
- Mr. Madani Koumaré, General Director of MEREF-SFD, Malí. General Coordinator of RIPESS Intercontinental and President of RAESS, African Network for the promotion of Social Solidarity Economy
- Ms. Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments).
Conclusions. Sandra Moreno and Carlos de Freitas.
Join us!
Date: Wednesday, 2 July, 2025.
Time: 14:30-16: 00 CEST
Place: Room Side Event 2, FIBES, Sevilla
