The Geneva Meeting Launching – The Group of Friends on SSE

At the Launch at the ILO HQ in Geneva (June 11, 2026)

Convening Countries

This launch meeting of the Group of Friends on the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), was co-convened by Brazil , Colombia & Spain , and held on June 11, 2026 at the International Labour Organization (ILO) headquarters in Geneva. This launch serves as a contribution to the Global Coalition for Social Justice.

Participating Countries

Other interested governments, who participated and expressed their support of SSE included Barbados , Cameroon , Côte d’Ivoire , Luxembourg , Mali , Mauritania , Senegal , the State of Palestine and Uzbekistan , shared priorities and experiences concerning cooperation on the SSE. Their interventions reflected growing interest in strengthening intergovernmental dialogue and coordination on the SSE at the global level.

Stakeholder reflections from United Nations entities, SSE actors and other partners highlighted opportunities for collaboration across policy, research, advocacy and implementation.

Participating UN agencies

ILO as the chair of the UN Taskforce on SSE has played a major role. Ms Simel Esim

Head of ILO COOP/SSE Chair of UNTFSSE highlighted the importance of SSE statistics, social innovation and SSE linkages as well as positioning the SSE vis a vis the post 2030 agenda

Contributions included reflections from UN agencies namely World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Human Rights and United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).

Participating CSO-NGOs

International CSO-NGO organisations also participated and expressed their support for SSE and the need for this global space for the visibility of SSE and the space for global dialogue and interaction

Among them were SEWA, RIPESS, ESS Forum International, StreetNet, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing – WIEGO, CEPES Confederación Empresarial Española de la Economía Social, Social Economy Europe and GSEF – Global Forum for Social and Solidarity Economy.

The discussions highlighted the contribution of the SSE to decent work, sustainable development and social justice, as well as its relevance to ongoing efforts to advance a human rights economy, eradicate poverty beyond growth and strengthen cooperation across countries and institutions.

INTERVENTION FROM MS SIMEL ESIM

Excellencies, distinguished representatives, colleagues and friends, I am pleased to welcome you the launch meeting of the Group of Friends on the Social and Solidarity Economy as Chair of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy.

I thank the Governments of Brazil, Colombia and Spain for convening this initiative, and the International Labour Organization for hosting us today.

The Group of Friends gives interested governments a voluntary platform for intergovernmental cooperation on the social and solidarity economy, consistent with relevant resolutions and decisions of United Nations bodies.

The 2024 UN GA resolution on the social and solidarity economy gives particular relevance to today’s launch. It encourages Member States to cooperate through relevant settings within and outside the United Nations, and to consider how the social and solidarity economy could contribute to and feature in relevant multilateral processes.

The Group of Friends can help interested governments carry that cooperation forward.

Statistics is one area where the Task Force can support Member States. Better measurement can help capture the contribution of the social and solidarity economy beyond gross domestic product.

Through its Technical Working Group on Social and Solidarity Economy Statistics, the Task Force supports coordination, methodological exchange and technical inputs that can contribute to the work towards international guidelines concerning statistics of the SSE for consideration at the 22nd International Conference of Labour Statisticians.

The SSE also brings a distinctive approach to social innovation, grounded in its values and principles of cooperation, democratic governance, social purpose, equality and accountability. This helps ensure that innovation advances well-being, decent work, inclusion and sustainable development.

The second Secretary-General’s report on the SSE is another immediate point of follow-up. Many governments have already contributed inputs to its preparation. The report is being prepared in collaboration with the Task Force and will be out in September this year.

Once issued, the report can help Member States and partners review progress, exchange experience and identify priorities for further cooperation, including on statistics, social innovation and policy coherence.

It can also inform discussions on the expected next General Assembly resolution on the SSE, forthcoming later this year, and its contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the post-2030 development agenda.

Today’s participation reflects the broad interest in this agenda. The Group is intergovernmental, and its members will determine how to engage social partners, SSE actors, UN entities and other stakeholders as its work evolves.

On behalf of the Task Force, we welcome the establishment of the Group as a global space through which interested governments can carry forward sustained cooperation on the SSE. Thank you and back to you Jaime.