On 6 July 2026, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) hosted a side event during the 2026 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The session, Cooperatives as Drivers and Partners of Transformative and Localised SDG Action, brought together key stakeholders to explore how cooperatives contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through transformative, inclusive and locally rooted approaches.
The event was organised in conjunction with the 2026 UN International Day of Cooperatives, on 4 July, which was celebrated under the theme Cooperatives for a Peaceful World.
“This year's co-observance of the International Day of Cooperatives reminds us that lasting peace depends not only on political agreements but also on inclusive economic opportunities, social justice, trust within communities, and meaningful participation,” said Enkhtsetseg Battsengel, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations.
Battsengel highlighted that this event takes place at a critical moment, with only four years remaining until 2030, the UN’s deadline for progress on the SDGs.
“Economic uncertainty, widening inequalities, climate change, and conflicts continue to place considerable pressure on our societies.
“Addressing these challenges requires solutions that are innovative, inclusive, and rooted in local communities. This is precisely where cooperatives have an important role to play.”
Ambassador Kalilu Totangi, Deputy Permanent Representative for Political Affairs of the Sierra Leone Mission to the United Nations, shared his own personal experience of cooperation in his home country, stating that “the cooperative, in my own circumstance, helped to reduce poverty in our community.”
Ambassador Totangi also stressed how co-ops demonstrate that localisation is “not simply a development principle, it is a development necessity”.
“Communities, therefore, by themselves, best understand their priorities, resources, and challenges. When citizens are empowered to organise collectively and participate democratically in economic life, development becomes more resilient, more equitable, and more sustainable.”
A video message was shared from Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General of the International Labour Organization, who reminded viewers that, with over 1 billion worldwide and an annual combined turnover of more than 2.7 trillion US dollars, cooperatives “make a vital contribution”, creating jobs and livelihoods and retaining value locally while giving people a voice.
Dr Ariel Guarco, ICA President, also shared a video message, in which he stated that “cooperation is another word for peace”, and encouraged all cooperatives to play their role in building freedom, democracy and prosperity in all nations.
The event marked the launch of a series of 17 SDG Policy Briefs developed by the global cooperative movement, showcasing evidence and case studies of cooperative contributions across the Sustainable Development Goals. These briefs demonstrate how cooperatives serve not only as contributors to sustainable development but also as strategic partners for governments, UN agencies, development institutions, and local communities in implementing the 2030 Agenda.
Joseph Njuguna, Director of Policy at the International Cooperative Alliance, shared details of these briefs and the process of creating them.
“We wanted to demonstrate how cooperatives contribute, highlight practical evidence from around the world, and provide policymakers with examples that can be replicated and scaled. We have only scratched the surface - if we had documented every cooperative success story, these would have become books rather than policy briefs.”
Njuguna called for co-ops to be integrated in the national development plans, sector strategies and future voluntary national reviews, as well as the creation of enabling legal and policy frameworks, better access to appropriate financing and strengthened statistical systems, so cooperatives' contributions become visible, measurable and scalable.
Through a multi-panel discussion, the event highlighted the contribution of cooperatives to transformative and localised SDG implementation, drawing on evidence from the 17 SDG Policy Briefs, and demonstrated the role of cooperatives as partners in achieving the SDGs while also contributing to peace, resilience, and social cohesion.
Natalie Petrulla, Senior Manager of Programs and Strategic Partnerships at Fairtrade International, shared how the organisation of fair trade farmers into co-ops allows them to sell collectively, meet buyer requirements, access global markets and serve their members’ needs.
“Our core mission is really driven by this idea that farmers know what they need best … so we really see cooperatives as core to our theory of change and also to achieving that mission.”
Michelle Schry, speaking on behalf of both National Coop Grocers and the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA in the United States, stressed that governments and international institutions “should treat cooperatives not only as stakeholders to consult, but as implementation partners”.
For Schry, that means including cooperatives in national and local SDG strategies, and developing supportive policies in areas such as procurement, financing, and technical assistance.
But, she added, “the SDGs will not be achieved by policy alone. They'll be achieved through institutions and businesses that people trust that they own and that they use every day, and cooperatives are those institutions. “
Palakh Khanna, Founder of youth-led non-profit Break The Ice, and Regional Representative of the Asia-Commonwealth Students' Association, spoke about the importance of young people in the SDG conversation, not just as a future consideration, but as a present force for change.
“There is this tendency in global conversations to speak about young people as a future resource, something to invest in now, so that they can contribute later, and I'd like to gently challenge that framing,” she said. “Young people, they're not waiting. Across India, where I come from, across Asia, across the world, young people are already on the ground.”
Khanna drew parallels between her work and the work of cooperatives around the world, as deeply rooted and community-driven.
“Sustainable development cannot just be delivered to communities; it has to be built with them. Young people, when genuinely trusted and resourced, are amongst the most effective community builders that we have.”
Legacoop’s Francesca Ottolenghi then shared details of the Mapping International Cooperative Development Programmes (MiCDP) project, which freely provides access to information from around 30 Cooperative Development Organizations (CDOs), with a goal to strengthen the network, encourage worldwide exchanges and connect CDOs to new partners and stakeholders.
“I am proud to see organisations from different countries working together with a shared vision, making corporate development more visible, more connected and more impactful,” said Ottolenghi.
“As we move closer to 2030, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires approaches that are locally driven, inclusive, and sustainable. The cooperative model already promotes this principle through collaboration, innovation, and shared commitment”.
Through mapping projects like MiCDP, said Ottolenghi, the movement can continue demonstrating that “cooperatives are not only contributors to system development, they are trusted partners in building more resilient, more equitable, and more peaceful societies”.
The ICA is also hosting a second session during the 2026 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), in person on Friday, 10 July 2026. Presented in partnership with UNDESA and Pathfinders for Peace, Just and Inclusive Societies at NYU CIC, this event looks at Advancing Peace, Justice, and Partnerships amidst Transition: A closer look at the SDGs Under Review at National and Local Levels.
This event is organised under the ICA-EU Partnership (2024-2028) – also called #coops4dev🌍 – a five-year international cooperative development program that aims to strengthen the ICA network and position cooperatives as international development actors in the EU Development Agenda.
