The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a landmark resolution formally recognising the enduring and transformative role of cooperatives in advancing inclusive economic and social development, while calling for the proclamation of an International Year of Cooperatives every decade. Resolution A/RES/80/182, titled Cooperatives in social development, marks a significant institutional endorsement of the cooperative enterprise model at a time when global economies are grappling with inequality, climate stress and social fragmentation.
Adopted on 15 December 2025 and recently published on the UN’s official documentation platform, the resolution builds on the momentum created by the International Years of Cooperatives observed in 2012 and 2025. Noting the positive global impact of these observances, the General Assembly has now resolved that an International Year of Cooperatives be declared every ten years to encourage governments, institutions and societies to more effectively leverage cooperatives as instruments of sustainable development.
The resolution underscores that cooperatives, in their various forms across sectors and regions, promote the fullest possible participation of people in economic and social life. It recognises their direct contributions to poverty and hunger eradication, food security, social inclusion, gender equality, and employment generation, while also highlighting their role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. By prioritising democratic ownership and community benefit, cooperatives are seen as uniquely positioned to deliver growth that is both inclusive and resilient.
Significantly, the resolution explicitly links cooperative activity with the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It acknowledges the impact of cooperatives in improving social and economic conditions for Indigenous Peoples, rural populations and other vulnerable groups, while fostering financial inclusion, local value creation and community-based development. In many regions, particularly in agriculture, finance, housing and social services, cooperatives are recognised as essential grassroots institutions bridging development gaps.
The General Assembly has also called upon governments to strengthen policy and institutional support for cooperatives. This includes improving legal and regulatory frameworks, enhancing access to capital, ensuring fair taxation, supporting agricultural and financial cooperatives, expanding digital connectivity, strengthening research and data systems, and promoting gender equality in cooperative participation and leadership. The resolution urges coordinated action by governments, international organisations, specialised UN agencies and cooperative organisations at all levels.
In addition, the resolution reaffirms the annual observance of the International Day of Cooperatives, celebrated globally on the first Saturday of July, as established under Resolution 47/90. In 2026, CoopsDay will fall on 4 July, with the official theme to be announced in due course.
Reacting to the decision, International Cooperative Alliance President Dr Ariel Guarco said the resolution arrives at a critical moment marked by environmental crises, widening inequality and declining trust in institutions. He noted that cooperatives demonstrate the possibility of producing and distributing wealth without exclusion, while caring for the environment and strengthening social bonds, adding that the decade-based International Year proclamation brings renewed optimism to the global cooperative movement.
International Cooperative Alliance Director General Jeroen Douglas described the move as an exceptional recognition, pointing out that the UN rarely repeats designated year themes. He credited the Government of Mongolia for initiating both previous International Years of Cooperatives and the latest proclamation, and said the enduring slogan “Cooperatives build a better world” continues to capture the essence of the movement’s mission.
The resolution also situates itself within the UN’s long-standing engagement with the cooperative sector, which dates back to the 1950s and has included biennial resolutions on cooperatives in social development since 1992. This engagement was further strengthened in April 2023 with the adoption of the UN’s first-ever resolution on promoting the social and solidarity economy for sustainable development.
