As part of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in New York, Sandra Moreno Cadena, Executive Secretary of RIPESS Intercontinental, participated in the Discussion on the 2026 United Nations Secretary-General’s Report on the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 79/213 on the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), followed by the Ministerial Dialogue of the Friends of the SSE Group.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy of Spain and the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE), brought together governments, UN entities and SSE actors from different regions to discuss progress, challenges and priorities for advancing the global SSE agenda.
From recognition to implementation
In her intervention, Sandra Moreno Cadena welcomed the growing recognition of the SSE in legal, policy and institutional frameworks worldwide, as reflected in the Secretary-General’s Report. However, she stressed that recognition alone is not enough:
“The question before us is not only whether the SSE is visible in policy. It is whether political recognition changes the conditions of life, work and collective power of the communities who build and benefit from the SSE every day.”
RIPESS highlighted that while important progress has been achieved, implementation must now become the central priority.
Financing the SSE
Drawing on RIPESS’ contribution to the Secretary-General’s Report, Sandra Moreno Cadena emphasized the importance of the Sevilla Commitment, adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which explicitly recognises the role of the SSE, cooperatives and the need for dedicated financial and non-financial support mechanisms.
She underlined that this recognition creates a unique opportunity to develop:
- dedicated SSE financing windows,
- guarantee mechanisms,
- public development bank strategies,
- solidarity finance instruments.
RIPESS called on Member States and financial institutions to transform political commitments into practical tools that reach organised territories, women, youth, informal workers, small-scale producers and marginalised communities.
Placing the SSE at the centre of climate justice
The intervention also stressed the need to place the SSE at the heart of climate action and climate implementation.
Referring to RIPESS’ participation in Climate Week NYC, Sandra Moreno Cadena highlighted emerging opportunities such as the Green Climate Fund’s Locally-Led Climate Action window, which opens new pathways for financing community-led responses to the climate crisis.
RIPESS called for similar approaches to be replicated across UN thematic agendas and financing mechanisms, demonstrating the capacity of SSE actors to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, climate commitments and financing for development priorities.
A human rights agenda
RIPESS further stressed that implementing Resolution 79/213 is inseparable from advancing human rights.
Implementation must strengthen:
- decent work,
- food sovereignty,
- care systems,
- housing, land and water rights,
- equality and democratic participation,
- the rights of peasants,
- the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
At a time marked by growing inequalities, conflicts and shrinking civic space, she reaffirmed the importance of protecting the autonomy of social movements and community organisations.
Joining forces for the next phase
Concluding her remarks, Sandra Moreno Cadena called for stronger collaboration between governments, UN agencies, financial institutions and SSE networks:
“It is time for us to join forces, means, strategies, and move further, faster and stronger than in the past decade. The moment is now.”
“It is time for us to join forces, means, strategies, and move further, faster and stronger than in the past decade. The moment is now.”
She closed with a reminder that reflects the spirit of cooperation at the heart of the Social and Solidarity Economy:
“Together we stand, divided we fall.”
Watch the intervention
🎥 Video of the intervention: https://youtu.be/fF2PVRSysb0
Related resources
📄 2026 UN Secretary-General’s Report on the Social and Solidarity Economy
