The first meeting of the Technical Working Group on Financial Access and Support (TWGFAS) for Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) entities, held on September 4, 2024. , . Convened by the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE), the meeting brought together experts and representatives from various organizations and governments to improve financial access and support  for SSE entities worldwide.

The meeting focused on aligning the group’s work with the UN Resolution on SSE for Sustainable Development (A/RES/77/281), adopted 1.5 years ago. The resolution  mandates international cooperation in promoting the SSE and encourages multilateral and regional financial institutions to support SSE entities through tailored financial access mechanisms.

Key participants included representatives from the UNTFSSE, UNCTAD, the International Labour Organization (ILO), Catalyst2030, DIESIS, ESSFI, RIPESS, Social Economy Europe (SEE), that was represented by its member FEBEA, the governments of France and Quebec (Canada), and other stakeholders. They validated the group’s Terms of Reference (ToR) and explored practical mechanisms to support the ecosystem and enhance financial access for SSE entities.

The meeting opened with general remarks from Lola Blanc (UNTFSSE), who welcomed participants and introduced research works developed by Claude Dorion (ESSFI), who highlighted the scale and challenges of SSE financing ecosystem in Québec, Yvon Poirier (RIPESS) who traced the historical development of SSE finance initiatives globally. Alexandre Laurent (Government of France) also presented on French mechanisms like the Solidarity Savings model, which channels citizen savings toward social enterprises.

Participants, including Samuel Barco (DIESIS), Sandra Moreno (RIPESS),Daniel Sorrosal (SEE/FEBEA), and Craig Churchill (ILO), shared their expertise and discussed their expectations for the group.

The meeting was concluded by Chantal Line Carpentier with the identification of three key action points: (1) mapping existing financial models and mechanisms for SSE entities and share good practices, (2) engaging multilateral development banks to tailor financial instruments and ecosystem for SSE entities, and (3) preparing inputs for the upcoming UN Financing for Development (FFD) Conference in 2025.

This launch represents an important step in fostering global collaboration to create an inclusive financial ecosystem that supports the unique needs of SSE entities across the globe.