KAMPALA, January, 13, 2026 — The United Nations [ UN ] General Assembly has adopted Resolution A/RES/80/182, recognising the vital role of cooperatives in promoting inclusive economic and social development worldwide. Following the success of the International Years of Cooperatives in 2012 and 2025, the resolution “calls for the proclamation of an International Year of Cooperatives every 10 years … to encourage effective leveraging of the cooperative enterprise model to advance social and economic development”.
Resolution A/RES/80/182 was adopted on 15 December 2025. It has just been published on the UN website and is now available in all official UN languages: https://docs.un.org/A/RES/80/182
Cooperatives driving sustainable development
Cooperatives, in their diverse forms, “promote the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of local communities and all people,” says the resolution, and contribute directly to poverty and hunger eradication, social inclusion, gender equality, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The text highlights cooperatives’ specific contributions to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs], particularly improving the social and economic conditions of Indigenous Peoples, rural communities, and vulnerable populations, while promoting financial inclusion and local economic development.
Global support for cooperative impact
Following the success of the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives [IYC], the UN resolution calls for governments to strengthen support for cooperatives through:
- Improved legal and regulatory frameworks
- Enhanced access to capital and fair taxation
- Support for agricultural and financial cooperatives
- Expanded digital access
- Strengthened research, data collection, and public awareness
- Promotion of gender equality in participation and
The resolution further calls on Governments, relevant international organisations, specialised agencies, and local, national, and international cooperative organisations to continue observing the International Day of Cooperatives [CoopsDay] annually, on the first Saturday of July, as proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 47/90. In 2026, CoopsDay will be celebrated on 4 July, with the theme to be announced soon.
Dr Ariel Guarco, International Cooperative Alliance President, said: “In times of environmental crisis, inequality, and global mistrust, cooperatives prove that it is possible to produce and distribute wealth without exclusion, care for the environment, and strengthen social bonds. This UN resolution to declare an International Year of Cooperatives every decade gives our movement renewed optimism #Beyond2025.”
Jeroen Douglas, International Cooperative Alliance Director General, said: “Having both 2012 and 2025 declared as International Years of Cooperatives is rare, as the UN does not usually repeat designated year themes. So this decade cycle is an immense global recognition of cooperatives’ enduring contributions towards a more just and equitable world. The slogan of both IYCs – ‘Cooperatives build a better world’ – captures the heart of our movement’s mission. We thank the Government of Mongolia as the initiating force behind both the International Years of Cooperatives and this new proclamation.”
The UN has long acknowledged the cooperative movement as a key partner in enhancing social development, and the model as suited to achieve the SDGs. The UN General Assembly has been adopting resolutions concerning cooperatives in social development since the 1950s and systematically every two years since 1992.
In April 2023, the UN approved the first-ever Resolution on promoting the social and solidarity economy for sustainable development.
Global cooperative statistics
- There are over 3 million cooperatives worldwide, spanning agriculture, finance, consumer, housing, and worker sectors.
- They serve more than 1 billion members and employ over 280 million people
2025 IYC highlights:
- Launched in November 2024 in New Delhi, India, and concluded in Doha, Qatar in November 2025.
- Over 200 events held across 100 countries, including workshops, policy dialogues, youth and women engagement programs, and regional summits.
Historical context
- 2012: First UN International Year of
- 2025: Second IYC, first time a UN International Year theme is repeated with the exact working and then established on a decade cycle.
ICA
Founded in 1895, the ICA is the organisation representing cooperatives worldwide. It unites over 320 federations and organisations from 110 countries, representing over 1 billion cooperative members worldwide, promoting cooperation as a vehicle for social inclusion, economic democracy, and sustainable development.
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