At its last meeting in Santa Cruz de la Sierra the Administrative Council of Co-operatives of the Americas approved a strategy on the impact of public policies on co-operatives in Latin America.
The strategy, which was elaborated by the working group, sets the objective for Co-operatives of the Americas to play a more proactive role in defending the interests of co-operatives and the promotion of public policy environments that favours the growth and development of the model in the region’s countries.
Some of the actions that the strategy suggests include – elaborating guidance documents to influence public policies that affect co-operatives, including studies that show the impact of co-operatives at continental and global level and identifying guidelines to influence international organisations to adopt and support the proposals of Co-operatives of the Americas. The document also sets out financial guidance that enables the participation of Co-operatives of the Americas in actions of political impact. It suggests that Co-operatives of the Americas funded the participation of certain ministers or public servants at its regional meetings to look at the co-operative solution.
The guidance prepared by Co-operatives of the Americas should be the result of a dialogue between co-operators and representatives of international organisations, with a say in the decision making process of that particular state, says the strategy paper. Read more (in Spanish).
Foto: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where the meeting took place