CONFEDERACIÓN DE COOPERATIVAS DE COLOMBIA (CONFECOOP)

Materials compiled from Sino-foreign exchange visits indicate that Colombia enacted its Cooperatives Law in 1988, with cooperatives spanning agriculture, finance, transport, healthcare, insurance and education, among other sectors. The materials note that Colombia then had nearly 10,000 cooperatives of various types with more than 5 million members, about 12% of the total population, and more than 30% of the population benefiting directly or indirectly; cooperatives contributed more than 6% of the economy, holding important shares in healthcare, transport, agriculture, finance, microcredit, health insurance and coffee production. The organisational structure comprises three tiers — the national cooperative confederation, regional and sectoral cooperative organisations, and grassroots cooperatives — supported by a comparatively rigorous mutual financial supervisory regime.

Note: this section is compiled mainly from materials gathered during exchange visits between Chinese and international cooperative organisations, and does not represent an official position. Because it draws on first-hand exchanges and observed institutional practice, it is offered as contextual reference material.