Picture credit: www.ilo.org
Under the Patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister Dr. Bisher Al-Khasawneh, the Jordan Cooperative Corporation (JCC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the National Strategy for the Cooperative Movement (2021-2025) on 3 July 2021 at the Hilton Hotel, Dead Sea. The launch presented the overall national strategy of the cooperative movement, which aims to build "a prosperous, autonomous, inclusive and self-reliant cooperative movement in Jordan,” and contribute to better cooperative services, including those that facilitate refugee and host community members’ access to decent work.
Agriculture Minister Mr. Khalid Hneifat, who deputised for Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Dr. Bisher Al Khasawneh, praised the efforts of all development partners. The minister, who is also chairman of the JCC, highlighted the need to expand Jordan’s cooperative sector due to its important contributions to local community development. He noted that the JCC and the ILO have developed an executive plan to support the organisations’ joint role in implementing projects with cooperative institutions to realise comprehensive sustainable development.
JCC’s Director-General, Mr. Abdulfattah Shalabi highlighted that this year, the International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated under the theme “Rebuild Better Together.” He said that the annual celebration was a good occasion to announce the strategy, recently approved by the Cabinet, which gives clear performance indicators and timeframes aimed at developing the cooperative sector. Mr. Frank Hagemann, the ILO’s Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States, said that the ILO pays great attention to cooperative institutions for their role in enhancing social justice. He noted that ILO has been supporting cooperative work for 100 years.
The adoption of the National Strategy of the Cooperative Movement in Jordan reflects a critical inflection point for the cooperative movement in Jordan. It demonstrates the power of consultative processes, done in coordination with workers and employers, as well as national stakeholders, to identify strategic areas where cooperatives will make investments in the coming years. The initiative is supported by the Government of the Netherlands within the framework of the Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities (PROSPECTS).
ICA-AP’s programmatic focus in Jordan has been intended to enhance linkages and networking activities of cooperative organizations active in development. The National Report on Cooperative Legal Frameworks for Jordan that was prepared as part of the ICA-EU project looks at why cooperatives in Jordan need an enabling environment that strengthens their autonomy and facilitates their access to financial and technical support. It was also shared with the JCC and ILO, more information is available on https://www.coops4dev.coop/en.
