This is how we move forward in Cooperatives of the Americas during 2019
We are sure 2020 will be a memorable year for Cooperatives of the Americas and the entire cooperative movement.
Cooperatives of the Americas during 2019 has focused efforts on working from different areas and aspects such as identity, advocacy, institutional recognition, strategic alliances, intercooperation, growth, communication and visibility, gender equality, youth integration into the cooperative sector.
2019 a great year for cooperativism in the Americas
More than 1,000 cooperative members of promotion and promotion institutions, as well as organizations supporting the movement in the Americas from 29 countries, met in the city of San Jose, Costa Rica, from November 18 to 20, 2019 in the XXI Regional Conference of Cooperativa de las Américas, to analyze reality, discuss proposals and define joint initiatives, under the motto Change / Impact / Sustainability “Cooperatives, economic actors with social and sustainable impact”. Likewise, from the 20th to the 22nd of November 2019, the Seventh edition of the Continental Congress of Cooperative Law was successfully carried out, involving more than 200 delegates from 18 countries.
En el marco de dichas actividades tuvimos diferentes hitos a mencionar
Logramos un acto de Incidencia política de alto nivel: Altos Representantes de los Organismos Intergubernamentales e Internacionales como Unión Europea, OEA, FAO, IICA, CEPAL, GRI, ONU, ONU MUJERES, intervinieron en las plenarias magistrales destacando el papel de las cooperativas de Americas para aportar a la Agenda 20230 de Naciones Unidas.
Los tres poderes de la República de Costa Rica entre ellos el Segundo Vicepresidente de la República de Costa Rica, Marvin Rodríguez Cordero, El Presidente de la Asamblea Legislativa, Carlos Ricardo Benavides y el Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, Fernando Luis Castro) intervinieron en los momentos tópicos de los eventos, así como los Ministros y Ministras de Ambiente, Trabajo, Economía.
During the closing of activities our President, Graciela Fernández, met with Carlos Alvarado, President of the Republic of Costa Rica
The first Cooperative Hackaton of Cooperatives of the Americas and the signing of the Agreement of intention for the formation of the Communication Network of Cooperatives of the Americas was developed. Within the framework of the LXXVII session of the Cooperative Administration Council of the Americas, a high-level joint meeting was held with IICA and the Cooperative Administration Counselors of the Americas at the headquarters of the agency specializing in agriculture.
The protagonists, for this year also, have been our members, that is why we work every day to influence the public policy agenda from the strategic plan of the International Cooperative Alliance 2020 -2030 and know the different densities of the region: For this reason, the President of Cooperatives of the Americas visited different members of the region in Brazil, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Paraguay, United States.
Raising and making visible the cooperativism of the region has been one of the main objectives of the partnership between the ICA and the European Union, Cooperatives for development, # Coops4Dev is why the Around the World project visited 6 countries in the region, and already some stories have been revealed. During the XXI Regional Conference, the video summary for the Americas was unveiled, an audiovisual piece that highlights what makes cooperativism of the Americas so diverse and special.
Advocacy and cooperation with International Organizations
The President, Graciela Fernandez, along with the FAO Regional Director of the Americas, Julio Berdegué, participated in the launch of the United Nations Family Farming Decade, highlighting that cooperatives have many good practices to transmit and are a key ally for the objectives proposed by FAO in the region.
The Framework Agreement for Collaboration with the Organization of American States was signed. Work is currently underway on the Operational Plan of the Agreement for possible pilot projects in México, Uruguay, Costa Rica, the United States.
Por último, pero no menos importante, se ha realizado, con medio de dos encuestas, dos sesiones estratégicas y entrevistas a los Comités Sectoriales y temáticos, el nuevo Plan Estratégico 2020-2023 de Cooperativas de las Américas, recién aprobado en la 78 edición del Consejo de Administración realizado en Bogotá