In collaboration with the Global Fund of Cities Development (FMDV), the Global Platform for the Right to the City (GPR2C) and Habitat International Coalition (HIC), RIPESS was present at several meetings at the preparatory dialogues for the HABITAT III conference which will be held in Quito, Ecuador, next October.
To promote the inclusion of the ESS as a strategy for cities, a letter was sent on June 17th by six organizations, including RIPESS:
- Mont-Blanc Meetings/International Forum of Social and Solidarity Economy Entrepreneurs (RMB/FIDESS)
- International Association of Investors in the Social Economy (INAISE)
- World Fund for Development of Cities (FMDV)
- GSEF (Global Social Economy Forum)
- Habitat International Coalition (HIC)
- Intercontinental Network for the promotion of Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS)
Including the reference to ESS in Article 56 of the revised text of the Draft (July 28th Version) New Urban Agenda (see below) is the result of the consulting meetings held earlier, in which we were present. The letter, all in all, reinforces the inclusion of the SSE and the importance of keeping this paragraph in the final version to be adopted in October, for what we are confident.
Article 56 of the text: We commit to create 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 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.
Note written by Yvon Poirier, board member of RIPESS
