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Meeting with the First Lady of Costa Rica, Mercedes Penas Domingo14 October 2016, Seoul, Korea
The first lady of Costa Rica, Mercedes Penas Domingo paid a visit to the GSEF Secretariat on 14 October. The first lady was greeted by the co-chairman of GSEF Rev. Kyong Yong Song, directors from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and representatives of social economy organisations based in Korea. The meeting provided an opportunity for enhancing mutual understandings between the GSEF and Costa Rica in promoting the social and solidarity economy.
Costa Rica is a leading country in Latin America in the field of sustainable development; 100% energy consumed in Costa Rica is coming from renewable energy sources in which energy cooperatives are taking part in the production process. Costa Rica has various governmental bodies and divisions which were founded to promote the social and solidarity economy.
Based on the discussions throughout the meeting, GSEF will work closely with Costa Rica central government as well as its municipalities for exchanging best practices and knowledge sharing for sustainable development
5th UCLG Congress World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders12-15 October, Bogota, Colombia
The 5th UCLG Congress, which is the largest global conference of local/regional governments and stakeholders, held in Bogota from 12 to 15 October under the theme ‘local voices for a better world’. The conference highlighted the critical role of local and regional governments which are operating closest to the lives of citizens in establishing inclusive, community centered, and environment friendly urban development. As the outcome of extensive consultation and discussion between UCLG member cities throughout the congress, Bogota Commitment and Action Agenda was officially declared on the 15th of October. GSEF, with representatives from city and regional governments including elected officials closely consulted in establishing a social and solidarity economy working group within the UCLG organisational structure. And GSEF deeply congratulate on the new presidency of UCLG, Mpho Parks Tau who is the President of the South African Association of Local Governments (SALGA) and Councilor of Johannesburg as well. The president of UCLG, Parks Tau, gave a message how to achieve the economic democracy in order to improve the current economic system. GSEF has updated a short video interview with the president Tau on here.
Habitat III: The New Urban Agenda17-20 October, Quito, Ecuador
Habitat III, the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development took place in Quito, Ecuador from 17 to 20 October. With more than 30,000 participants, the conference officially adopted the New Urban Agenda, the historic blueprint to transform the ways of establishing sustainable urban development for the next 20 years.
Especially in the New Urban Agenda (in article 58), the social and solidarity economy was recognized as an international agenda through the collective efforts of international advocacy groups for SSE, including UNTF SSE, RIPESS, FMDV, MBM, INAISE, and GSEF.
“58. We commit to promote an enabling, fair, and responsible business environment, based on the principles of environmental sustainability and inclusive prosperity, promoting investments, innovations, and entrepreneurship. We also commit to address the challenges faced by local business communities, through supporting micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises and cooperatives throughout the value chain, in particular businesses and enterprises in the social and solidarity economy, operating in both the formal and informal economies.”
One of GSEF’s Steering Committee Member, the MBM and the International Leading Group on Social and Solidarity Economy (ILGSSE) also organized a side event on October 17, focusing on the central role of social and solidarity economy (SSE) to strategically implement the New Urban Agenda. Mayors, government officials, and civil society leaders gathered in the event, and promoted about the SSE as an innovative, inclusive, sustainable, and transformative approach to achieve the New Urban Agenda.
National Congress of the Association of Municipalities of Peru20-21 October, Lima, Peru
AMPE (the Association of Municipalities of Peru in Spanish) is a civil association composed of the provincial and regional municipalities of Peru. The 3rd National Congress of AMPE this year was attended by The President of Republic of Peru elected last July, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard, and gathered around 600 mayors from all over the country to discuss national political economy including social safety. GSEF was invited as one of the key speakers of the Congress to address the importance of promoting the Social and Solidarity Economy in terms of international cooperation. After the speech of GSEF Secretary General Laurence Kwark, a lot of members of the AMPE showed interested in the GSEF’s activities and networks and had asked how to cooperate with and engage in the GSEF.
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