Africa-Press – Mauritius. The crucial role of cooperatives in the socio-economic development of the country was highlighted by the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, on 01 July 2023, in the context of the International Day of Cooperatives, held at the Paul Octave Wiehe Auditorium in Réduit.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, and other personalities were present at the event. The theme chosen for this year by the United Nations and the International Cooperative Alliance is “Cooperatives for sustainable development”.
In his address, Minister Bholah pointed out that the Day pays tribute to all those who have worked to advance the cooperative movement. The potential of the cooperative movement to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is recognised worldwide, he emphasised.
He underlined that between 2020 and 2022, 200 new cooperatives have been registered. The Minister further elaborated on several projects and measures enunciated in Budget 2023-2024 to promote cooperatives in the country.
The Budget, he stated, makes provision of Rs 21 million for various schemes including Boost to Local Production Scheme; Zero Budget Natural Farming Scheme; Goat Farming Scheme; Waste Recycling Scheme; and Seed production Scheme.
Other measures highlighted by Mr Bholah include the financing of several projects under the Cooperative Development Fund Schemes; holding of regular fairs organised to increase visibility of cooperatives; training of more than 2,000 participants by the National Cooperative College; free of charge auditing by the Ministry of an average of 700 financial statements annually; and an E-directory of products and services offered by various cooperative societies available on the Ministry’s website.
In the face of numerous challenges faced by Cooperatives, Minister Bholah dwelt on the need for cooperatives to reinvent themselves, to attract more young people and women as well as to explore new opportunities.
International Day of Cooperatives The International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated each year on the first Saturday of the month of July. The celebration marks the contribution of cooperatives and the promotion of the movement’s successes and ideals of international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace.
According to the International Co-operative Alliance, there are three million cooperatives in the world. The 300 largest cooperatives in the world have a total turnover of two trillion dollars.
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