RAESS-RENAPESS

-> Download here the one pager about the event

Fourth meeting of RAESS

At the end of the 3rd Meeting of the African Network for Social and Solidarity Economy (RAESS) held in Morocco in April 2014, the National Network for the Promotion of Social and Solidarity Economy in Mali (RENAPESS-Réseau national d’appui à la promotion de l’économie sociale et solidaire du Mali) was designated to host the 4th meeting of RAESS in 2016.

The “Bamako 2016” event will be held from April 26-30th, 2016, at the International Conference Centre and the Palais des cultures Amadou Hampaté BA in the residential area of Badalabougou, in Bamako.

Three continental meetings of RAESS have been held in the past years, first in Kenitra, Morocco in October 2010, on the occasion of the creation of RAESS, then in Hammamet, Tunisia in May 2013 and finally in Marrakech, Morocco in April 2014. These meetings were spaces for exchange on practical experiences of the Social and Solidarity Economy and development in Africa, as well as occasions for SSE enterprises from RAESS to showcase their work.

The objectives of Bamako 2016 aim to assess the progress made by RAESS in promoting the SSE in Africa, in particular by evaluating the implementation of the African roadmap 2010-2015 for promoting the SSE and by discussing the challenges related to the development of the legal framework of the SSE across the continent.

The meeting will also identify courses of action for a better positioning of the SSE on the continent, as well as allowing for a space for capitalising on innovative experiences.

Towards the meeting

A national organizing committee for Bamako 2016 has been active since April 2015. It is composed of members of different committees of RENAPESS, organised around five (5) commissions (promotion and communication; technical and pedagogical commission; mobilization of financial resources, logistics; youth and social mobilization).

Themes of the meeting

The central theme of the 4th Meeting is “The Social and Solidarity Economy, a key driver of the strong resilience of the African peoples”.

Following an online and email survey, six (6) sub themes were identified including:

  • 1: The role of the state in the development of the SSE (challenges in the development of public policy, role of the SSE in participatory democracy, challenges of collaboration, etc.)
  • 2: The role of gender in the development of the SSE (women leadership in the SSE, women’s empowerment through the SSE, etc.);
  • 3: Solidarity Finance (role of microfinance, informal, mutual savings);
  • 4: Promotion of the SSE and mobilization of actors (how to mobilize actors in SSE networks, role and responsibility of local authorities, role of the new media in the mobilization, etc.)
  • 5: Role of the SSE in generating decent employment (SSE as a means for professional and economic inclusion for young people, women, people with disabilities, migrants, crisis-affected populations)
  • 6: Sustainable agriculture and the development of the SSE.

Participants

The commission expects 300 participants and 1,000 visitors over the week from:

  • 30 African member countries and observers;
  • Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Great Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Canada, USA, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Japan, Philippines …

Program of the event

Scheduled on April 26-30, 2016, the event includes:

  • Opening ceremony;
  • A presentation of the networks;
  • A high-level introductory conference ;
  • Thematic workshops on the six sub themes;
  • A convergence roundtable with different actors ;
  • Field visits on three sites ;
  • A youth entrepreneurs event;
  • An in situ market for products and knowledge of the SSE;
  • A meeting of RAESS;
  • A closing ceremony with a cultural event.

Note by Abdouramane POUDIOUGOU, technical and pedagogical commission