Generation of Solidarity 2026: ODCO Celebrates its 6th Edition on the International Day of Cooperatives
Theme: "Building Bridges: Youth Cooperatives at the Heart of Territories"
Rabat, July 7, 2026 – The Secretary of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy and the Office of Cooperation Development (ODCO) held on Tuesday in Rabat the awards ceremony of the 6th edition of the national programme “Generation of Solidarity” on the sidelines of the International Day of Cooperatives, celebrated in 2026 under the banner of peace and social cohesion.
This edition marks a major evolution: originally designed as a prize, “Generation of Solidarity” is now a structured five-stage support programme, from pre-selection to twelve-month post-award follow-up. The distinction is no longer an end in itself, but the starting point of a sustainable development trajectory.
This year, 22 cooperatives were awarded among 120 pre-selected applications from the Kingdom’s twelve regions, in sectors ranging from agriculture and handicrafts to the cultural and creative industries. Since 2021, the programme has recognised 175 cooperatives out of more than 1,500 applications, confirming the growing commitment of young people to the cooperative model.
On this occasion, Mr. Lahcen ES-SAADY, Secretary of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, declared: “The global cooperative movement is speaking today of peace and of bridges between communities. As the Director-General of the ILO underlines, cooperatives contribute to stability, job creation and community resilience in times of crisis. The cooperatives we are honouring today are a concrete illustration of this: through their projects, they create value, weave social ties and take a full part in the development of their territories.”
Mrs. Aicha ERRIFAAI, General Director of ODCO, for her part emphasised: “The International Cooperative Alliance reminds us that cooperatives have long contributed not only to the absence of conflict, but to the presence of justice, inclusion and trust – the foundations of a positive peace. It is in this spirit that we frame our action: our ambition is to support young people over the long term, so that this recognition marks the beginning of a development journey, and not its conclusion.”
A highlight of this 6th edition, the ceremony was also marked by the signing of a partnership agreement between ODCO and JAÏDA, a financing company approved by Bank Al-Maghrib. This partnership aims to strengthen the financial inclusion of cooperatives through a mechanism for identifying, supporting and guiding cooperatives with potential, underpinned by a scoring system shared by the two institutions. It thus provides a structured response to one of the most decisive constraints on the sector’s development: access to financing.
This edition was made possible thanks to the support of the Embassy of the State of Qatar, the OCP Foundation, the Colainord and Cosumar cooperatives, the financial partners – Dar Al Moukawil (Attijariwafa Bank), JAÏDA and Crédit Agricole du Maroc – as well as the Regional Councils of Fès-Meknès, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Souss-Massa and Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab.
