RABAT, May 10, 2025 — The State Secretary in charge of Handicrafts and The Social and Solidarity Economy [SEASS], affiliated to the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and The Social and Solidarity Economy [MTAESS], and the Office of Cooperation Development [ODCO], recently organised the 6th edition of the National Prize “Lalla al Moutaâouina” at the SEASS headquarters in Rabat, awarding 31 women-led Moroccan cooperatives.
Dedicated to honouring the most innovative initiatives by Moroccan women-led cooperatives, this year’s edition, themed “Women’s Cooperatives Building a Better World”, aligns with Morocco’s national momentum for the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 [IYC 2025], proclaimed by the UN and officially launched in Morocco on February 27, 2025.
A jury of experts selected 31 winning cooperatives from 388 entries nationwide, recognising projects that blend creativity, sustainability, and socio-economic impact. Each winner received a financial grant of 50,000 MAD [5,403.94 USD], supported by a public-private partnership involving SEASS, ODCO, and key institutional and private partners and sponsors.
In his opening remarks, Lahcen Es-Saady, State Secretary in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy emphasised, “The Lalla Al Moutaâouina Award reflects a vision where women in cooperatives are not just economic participants but pillars of sustainable development.”
Aicha Errifaai, ODCO’s General Director, noted, “This edition holds special significance as it coincides with the UN’s International Year of Cooperatives, amplifying the award’s role in empowering women cooperators.”
Since its launch in 2020, the award has recognized 159 cooperatives out of over 2,000 applications, with winners growing from 14 in 2020 to 31 in 2025, underscoring its rising impact on women’s cooperative entrepreneurship in Morocco.
Meanwhile, a bold move toward advancing south-south collaboration, Morocco recently hosted a distinguished delegation from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Palestine. The working visit, centered on fostering partnerships in the social and solidarity economy, reinforced shared commitments to sustainable development, poverty reduction, and inclusive economic growth.
The visit operationalised the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] signed between ODCO and the Jordan Cooperative Corporation during the 11th Asia-Pacific Cooperative Ministerial Conference in Jordan in 2024. This landmark agreement aims to exchange expertise, empower communities, enhance cooperative resilience, and promote equitable opportunities across both regions.
https://thecooperator.news/morocco-launches-the-international-year-of-cooperatives-2025/
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