The declaration made at South Africa’s International Cooperatives Day (ICD) 2025 reaffirmed the importance of aligning cooperative development with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the principles of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA). It emphasized empowering women, youth, and persons with disabilities through capacity building, digital inclusion, and entrepreneurship support. The declaration also reiterated commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and called for stronger regional, continental, and global alliances to amplify the voice and resilience of cooperatives.

A key proposal welcomed was for the South African government to consider Associate Membership in the ICA and other international cooperative alliances. This was presented as a strategic step to enhance global engagement, learning, and collaboration. The declaration further set out concrete commitments to strengthen the cooperative movement by the next ICD in 2026.

Five specific targets were outlined: boosting cooperative market presence with 500 cooperatives active on digital platforms, securing public procurement opportunities with better documentation and alignment to MSME frameworks, facilitating intra-Africa trade by connecting at least five South African cooperatives with African and diaspora counterparts, promoting digital literacy training for at least 50 women and youth-led cooperatives, and building stronger national, regional, and international alliances.

To achieve these, the declaration called for the establishment of a National Steering Committee on Co-operatives. This body will organize consultations, refine roadmaps, monitor progress, and facilitate trade and digital literacy workshops. It will also oversee preparations for the ICD 2026 celebrations and the national cooperative summit, where progress will be reviewed and new priorities set for 2027–2030.

The pledge concluded with a united commitment from cooperators, government, financial institutions, civil society, and private sector partners. They affirmed the urgency of the goals and vowed to work in solidarity, guided by the spirit of Ubuntu, innovation, and socio-economic development. The declaration was framed as a unifying call to action under the theme: “Cooperatives build a Better World.”

Access to Markets Commission Report.