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 aimed at building ministry staff capacity in cooperative development. The initiative focused on applying the ILO’s tools to structure and professionalize Solidarity-Based Production Cooperatives (SPC), which are entities that combine economic activity with solidarity-based governance and public-interest objectives.
The opening ceremony, chaired by Alioune Dione, Minister of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, and attended by Samira Daoud, Director of the ILO Office in Dakar, highlighted the strategic importance of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) for Senegal’s development. 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 milestone of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MMESS and the ILO, formalizing the transfer of technical competencies needed for the Ministry to independently organize cooperative training sessions across the country. Minister Dione emphasized that this partnership will strengthen national capacities, enhance local partnerships, and create a common language around cooperative principles, reaching thousands of young people and women with awareness and training on solidarity-based production.
Since adopting the Framework Law on the Social and Solidarity Economy in 2021, Senegal has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting SSE initiatives. This workshop represents a significant step toward building a more structured, inclusive, and employment-generating cooperative ecosystem in the country.
