From 29 September to 1 October 2025, Senegal's Ministry of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy (MMESS), in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), held a training workshop in Dakar, Senegal, for Ministry staff. The workshop aims to apply the ILO's cooperative development training tools to structure and professionalize Solidarity-Based Production Cooperatives (SPC) -entities that pursue economic activity with solidarity-based governance and public-interest.
© ILO Dakar
Chaired by Alioune Dione, Minister of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, and attended by Samira Daoud, Director of the ILO Office in Dakar, the opening ceremony highlighted the strategic importance of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in Senegal's development. "This is more than just a training session - it's a key step in rolling out the national programme for Solidarity-Based Production Cooperatives," stated the Ms Daoud.
The workshop introduced tools such as Think.COOP, Start.COOP, and My.COOP, designed to support the creation, management, and governance of cooperatives. These tools will be integrated into the national strategy for supporting Solidarity-Based Production Cooperatives.
A key moment of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the MMESS and the ILO, marking the transfer of technical competencies required for the Ministry to independently organize cooperative training sessions nationwide.
© ILO Dakar
The Minister welcomed this partnership as a structuring mechanism to strengthen national capacities, and a step toward long-term technical cooperation.
"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," the Minister stated.
Since the adoption of the Framework Law on the Social and Solidarity Economy in 2021, Senegal has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the SSE and its entities. This workshop marks another milestone toward building a more structured, inclusive, and employment-generating cooperative ecosystem.
