Senegal and ILO Strengthen Cooperative Development with New Capacity-Building Initiative
Written By Maxine Ansah
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The Government of Senegal and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have deepened their collaboration to advance cooperative development, with a strong focus on strengthening the country’s social and solidarity economy.
From 29 September to 1 October 2025, Senegal’s Ministry of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy (MMESS) held a training workshop in Dakar in partnership with the ILO. The event brought together ministry staff to enhance their capacity in structuring and professionalising Solidarity-Based Production Cooperatives (SPC), entities that combine economic activity with solidarity-driven governance and public interest objectives.
The workshop introduced a range of ILO-developed training tools including Think.COOP, Start.COOP, and My.COOP. These are designed to raise awareness, support the establishment of new cooperatives, and strengthen the management and governance of existing ones. The tools will now be integrated into Senegal’s national strategy for supporting SPCs.
Alioune Dione, Minister of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, and Samira Daoud, Director of the ILO Office in Dakar, led the opening ceremony. The Minister emphasised that the initiative represents a structuring mechanism to reinforce national capacities and a critical step towards technical autonomy. “With Think.COOP, Start.COOP, and My.COOP, we will be able to raise awareness among thousands of young people and women about solidarity-based production, mutual support, and community commitment. These tools will also strengthen our technical departments, enhance local partnerships, and build a common language around cooperative principles across all our initiatives,” he said.
A highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the MMESS and the ILO. This agreement officially transferred technical competencies to the Ministry, enabling it to independently organise cooperative training sessions across Senegal. The move signifies a transition from reliance on external expertise to building sustainable national capacity.
Since the adoption of the Framework Law on the Social and Solidarity Economy in 2021, Senegal has made clear its commitment to supporting this sector as a driver of inclusive growth and employment generation. The recent workshop is regarded as an important milestone in realising that vision, reinforcing the country’s long-term ambition to create a structured and resilient cooperative ecosystem.
The partnership also aligns with broader global priorities to strengthen decent work and community-based development models, positioning Senegal as a regional example of how governments can integrate social solidarity principles into national policy and practice.