Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance, has highlighted the growing global strength of the cooperative movement, stating that cooperative enterprises today unite more than 1.2 billion people worldwide and generate over 300 million direct jobs.
In an interview, Guarco said the cooperative sector brings together more than three million enterprises globally, making it collectively equivalent to the world’s fifth-largest economy.
He stressed that unlike traditional economic systems that concentrate wealth and power, cooperatives distribute economic benefits across communities and local economies.
According to him, cooperatives play a vital role in sustaining livelihoods, generating employment and promoting inclusive development across thousands of regions worldwide.
Guarco asserted that cooperativeism is no longer merely an alternative economic model but has emerged as one of humanity’s key answers to building a more equitable and sustainable future.
