At ASETT, we have followed the conclusion of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, held during the World Summit for Social Development, with great interest. What was intended as the closing of a commemorative year has, in reality, marked the beginning of a new chapter for the global cooperative movement.

We welcome the remarks made by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who highlighted the vital role cooperatives play in advancing sustainable development and fostering inclusive economic growth. His message was clear: governments around the world should integrate the cooperative model into their national strategies and public budgets, recognising its essential contribution to building a more sustainable future.

The most significant announcement to emerge from the Summit was the United Nations’ decision to proclaim an International Year of Cooperatives every ten years, recognising the movement’s enduring contribution to global development. This milestone ensures that the Social Economy and the cooperative model will remain a recurring and visible part of the international agenda.

The decision is underpinned by the scale and impact of the cooperative sector. Today, the world’s 300 largest cooperatives generate an economic output comparable to that of one of the world’s ten largest national economies, demonstrating the growing importance of cooperative enterprise in the global economy.

At ASETT, we welcome this recognition with both pride and a renewed sense of responsibility. It strengthens our commitment to demonstrating, decade after decade, how the Social Economy and the cooperative movement can contribute to building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable economies.