4 July 2009. New-York – Kyiv – On the occasion of
International Day of Cooperatives UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged Governments
and civil society everywhere to recognize the effectiveness of cooperatives and
to engage with them as vital partners for global recovery and achieving
internationally agreed development goals.
UN Secretary-General
Message:
“The first
cooperatives were born more than two hundred years ago when rural entrepreneurs
and farmers decided to pool resources and help one another to overcome their
limited access to commercial opportunities.Subsequently, retail cooperatives emerged to help poor households escape
the debt trap and provide access to better quality goods and services. Cooperatives have since developed in many areas,
from manufacturing to financial services, spurred by the desire for a more equitable
way of working and doing business.
At a time
of global economic distress, this history deserves to be more widely known.The theme of this year’s observance of the International
Day of Cooperatives – “Driving Global Recovery Through Cooperatives” –
highlights the value of cooperative enterprise.Cooperatives can strengthen the resilience of the vulnerable. They can help to establish more balanced markets
for small farmers and give small entrepreneurs access to financial services.They can
create job
opportunities and improve working conditions.
The economic
model of cooperatives is based not on charity but on self-help and
reciprocity.In countries hit by the
financial crisis, the cooperative bank and credit union sector expanded lending
when other financial institutions had to cut back, easing the impact of the
credit freeze on the most vulnerable. This
highlights the importance of strong alternative business models and institutional
diversity for the resilience of the financial system.
Cooperatives
deserve greater support. I urge Governments
to adopt policies that support the establishment and development of cooperatives.Consumers, too, can help by buying food
produced by small-holder cooperatives that is traded in fair markets.
In the face
of the current economic crisis, communities around the world are rediscovering
the critical necessity to work for the common good. On this International Day, I encourage
Governments and civil society everywhere to recognize the effectiveness of cooperatives
and to engage with them as vital partners for global recovery and achieving
internationally agreed development goals”.
02.07.09
