The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, has endorsed the establishment of the Cooperative Diplomacy and Economic Citizenship Initiative (CODEC), commemorating this year’s United Nations Day of Cooperatives.
CODEC’s special envoy for diplomatic Relations, Dr. Lugard Okonobo, said in a statement that the ambassador also welcomed CODEC’s strategic intent to establish its international diplomatic secretariat in Brussels, home to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the global cooperative movement.
It added that the “endorsement of CODEC as a global cooperative diplomacy and economic citizenship platform would accelerate CODEC’s global partnerships and cooperative enterprise diplomacy and citizenship economic advocacy programmes globally.”
The statement added that CODEC’s Cooperative Diplomat and Principal Envoy, Dr. Peter Ayim, appreciated Ambassador Leenknegt’s leadership and commitment to cooperative diplomacy.
“CODEC is anchored on the universal cooperative identity, values, and principles, and strategically aligned with the commemoration of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 in alignment with the Year 2025 International Day of Cooperatives globally celebrated on the first Saturday of July every year.
“On 19 June 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, hence the need for UN Member States to domesticate this agenda through institutional mechanisms such as the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), a global institutional body coordinating cooperative activities.
The ICA, Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, has announced the official theme for the 2025 International Day of Cooperatives (CoopsDay): “Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World,” to be celebrated on Saturday, 5 July 2025. “
In her press release, the ICA stated that this year’s CoopsDay will serve as a flagship moment within the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025)—a once-in-a-decade opportunity to spotlight the critical role of cooperatives in building more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities.
The diplomatic endorsement marks a significant milestone for CODEC’s global positioning as it moves to secure formal international legal status as an Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif (AISBL) in Belgium, providing it with global operational legitimacy and access to multilateral cooperative development platforms.
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