Morocco closes the International Year of Cooperatives in Rabat
Closing of the International Year of Cooperatives in Morocco, under the theme “And Now, It’s the Cooperatives’ Turn”
On January 28, 2026, in Rabat, Morocco officially marked the closing of the International Year of Cooperatives, at the initiative of the Secretary of State in Charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy and the Office of Cooperation Development (ODCO).
This event crowned a year of national and international mobilization around the cooperative model, recognized as a strategic lever for inclusive and sustainable development.
Beyond its symbolic significance, the closing ceremony represented a pivotal moment: the transition from institutional recognition to concrete action, in full alignment with the theme that guided the day:
“And Now, It’s the Cooperatives’ Turn.”
In his opening speech, Mr. Lahcen Es-saady declared that “the International Year of Cooperatives made it possible to translate a national vision into concrete achievements on the ground. Today, cooperatives are no longer merely recognized; they are fully engaged in the Kingdom’s development dynamic as key economic, social, and territorial actors.”
He also recalled that public action will continue to place cooperatives at the heart of Social and Solidarity Economy policies, following an approach based on inclusion, innovation, and the creation of shared value.
An Integrated Digital Ecosystem Serving Cooperatives
A highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the integrated digital ecosystem developed by ODCO, marking a structuring milestone for the national cooperative ecosystem. Designed as an operational tool dedicated to serving cooperatives, this ecosystem aims to support them throughout their entire journey, from ideation to market access. It is built around three complementary components:
The Cooperative Project Bank, intended to structure, qualify, and promote high-potential cooperative project ideas;
The Taawouniya Academy e-learning platform, dedicated to strengthening skills in cooperative organization, management, governance, marketing, and social innovation;
The Cooperatives Marketplace of Morocco, designed to facilitate cooperatives’ access to markets and enhance their commercial visibility.
On this occasion, Ms. Aicha Errifaai, Director General of ODCO, emphasized that “this digital ecosystem reflects the ambition to move from fragmented support to a structured and continuous pathway, providing cooperatives with the necessary tools to strengthen their capacities, bring their projects to fruition, and achieve sustainable access to markets, within a framework of measurable impact and collective performance.”
A Partnership Agreement for Enhanced Inclusion
The event was also marked by the signing of a partnership agreement between Entraide Nationale and ODCO, aimed at promoting the socio-economic inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities through the Social and Solidarity Economy.
This agreement provides for the design and implementation of income-generating cooperative programs and projects, support for beneficiaries, capacity building, as well as assistance in the creation and development of inclusive cooperatives, thereby contributing to more equitable and inclusive growth.
By the end of 2025, Morocco’s cooperative sector comprises 65,315 cooperatives, bringing together nearly 789,000 members, including more than 272,000 women and 18,000 young people. This momentum resulted in the creation of 24,558 jobs in a single year, confirming the cooperative model as a structuring driver of employment, economic inclusion, and sustainable growth.
Beyond the symbolic closing of the International Year of Cooperatives, the Rabat event thus affirmed a shared conviction: grounded in stakeholder synergy and oriented toward job creation, Moroccan cooperatives now possess the necessary levers to act, innovate, and contribute sustainably to building the Social and Solidarity Economy of tomorrow.
