United Nations General Assembly A/RES/66/123 Distr.: General 27 February 2012 Sixty-sixth session Agenda item 27 (b) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2011 [on the report of the Third Committee (A/66/454 (Part II))] 66/123. Cooperatives in social development The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 47/90 of 16 December 1992, 49/155 of 23 December 1994, 51/58 of 12 December 1996, 54/123 of 17 December 1999, 56/114 of 19 December 2001, 58/131 of 22 December 2003, 60/132 of 16 December 2005, 62/128 of 18 December 2007, 64/136 of 18 December 2009 and 65/184 of 21 December 2010 concerning cooperatives in social development, Recognizing that cooperatives, in their various forms, promote the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of all people, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, are becoming a significant factor of economic and social development and contribute to the eradication of poverty, Recognizing also the important contribution and potential of all forms of cooperatives to the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, the Fourth World Conference on Women and the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), including their five-year reviews, the World Food Summit, the Second World Assembly on Ageing, the International Conference on Financing for Development, the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the 2005 World Summit, Noting with appreciation the potential role of cooperative development in the improvement of the social and economic conditions of indigenous peoples and rural communities, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 1 2. Welcomes the proclamation of the year 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives and the launch of the Year on 31 October 2011; Encourages all Member States, as well as the United Nations and all 3. other relevant stakeholders, to take advantage of the International Year of _______________ 1 11-46620 *1146620* A/66/136. Please rec cle ♲