On 25 September 2026, RIPESS Intercontinental will take part in the high-level meeting “Advancing the Social and Solidarity Economy”, organised by the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy and the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE). The session will take place from 12:00 to 14:15 at the Instituto Cervantes in New York, coinciding with the week of the United Nations General Assembly.
A growing multilateral process
In December 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 79/213, its second resolution dedicated to the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). The text reaffirmed the essential contribution of the SSE to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda, and urged States to strengthen policies, regulatory frameworks and support mechanisms; to cooperate and share best practices; and to integrate the SSE into multilateral processes and the planning of the United Nations system.
The resolution also requested the Secretary-General to prepare a report on its implementation, in collaboration with the UNTFSSE. This report — which will be presented at the event in New York — highlights significant progress in legal, institutional and statistical recognition, but also shows that progress is uneven and that there is still a need to strengthen the quality of implementation, the participation of SSE stakeholders and concrete outcomes for communities, workers and regions.
This context has spurred greater international coordination. On 11 June 2026, the governments of Brazil, Colombia and Spain convened the launch of the Group of Friends on the SSE at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, with the participation of around 30 governments from all regions. RIPESS took part in this important meeting as one of the stakeholders, representing the voices and work of its members and emphasising the importance of the SSE as a tool for social justice, decent work and economic democracy.
Presentation of the Secretary-General’s Report
The event on 25 September will open with the presentation of the Secretary-General’s Report on the implementation of Resolution 79/213, which analyses progress made since 2024 and sets out priorities for consolidating coherent policies, strong institutions, adequate financial mechanisms, robust statistical systems and meaningful participation by SSE stakeholders.
Ministerial dialogue of the Friends of the SSE Group
Following the presentation of the report, a ministerial dialogue will be held with representatives from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. The discussion will address:
- priorities for accelerating the implementation of Resolution 79/213,
- elements for a possible third General Assembly resolution in 2027,
- strengthening the Group of Friends of the SSE,
- national experiences and opportunities for international cooperation.
This forum aims to consolidate political leadership and intergovernmental cooperation on the SSE in a global context marked by growing inequalities and pressures on multilateralism.
Resources:
🔗 The concept note is available in English, French and Spanish.
🔗 Read the 2026 Report of the UN Secretary-General on the SSE.
RIPESS Contribution to the 2026 UN Secretary‑General’s Report on Resolution 79/213
RIPESS Intercontinental has submitted its official contribution to the 2026 Report of the UN Secretary‑General on the implementation of Resolution 79/213. The document highlights key developments since July 2024 in public policy, international cooperation, training, advocacy and multilateral engagement.
Key achievements include:
- Historic recognition of SSE in the Sevilla Commitment (FfD4, 2025) — first inclusion of SSE in a global Financing for Development outcome.
- The Colombia–RIPESS international cooperation agreement (2026) — the most advanced model of structured collaboration between a Member State and an international SSE network.
- Over 1,000 certified participants in the RIPESS LAC SSE Diploma (2024–2025), with participation from ECLAC and regional universities.
- Launch of the ASEAN SDG–SSE Community Roadmap (2026–2030), positioning SSE as a vehicle for SDG localisation in Southeast Asia.
- Active engagement in multilateral spaces: FAO, COP16, UNCTAD, ILO, WFLED, GSEF 2025 and the TAFF process for a just transition.
- Joint RIPESS–FMDV proposal to integrate SSE and solidarity finance as last‑mile delivery infrastructure for the global energy transition.
The document also identifies persistent challenges: uneven political will, financing gaps, lack of official data and the need for structural reforms in the global financial architecture.
RIPESS reaffirms its commitment to working with Member States, UN entities, financial institutions and community actors to place SSE at the heart of sustainable development, just transition, human rights and inclusive financing strategies.
Download the summary of the document.
RIPESS at the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week
This event forms part of RIPESS’s activities in New York during the week of 21–26 September. See the web article on this topic for the full programme of RIPESS’s participation during the week.
