CICOPA President Iñigo Albizuri visit to UNISOL Brasil

27 November 2025

On 7 November 2025, CICOPA President, Iñigo Albizuri, had the opportunity to visit UNISOL Brasil, a Center for Cooperatives and Solidarity Enterprises in Brazil.

The CICOPA President was in Brazil to take part in the International Cooperative Alliance’s Board, and took the chance to visit UNISOL’s headquarters.

UNISOL has a crucial role in Latin America in the promotion of worker cooperatives, with a clear mission oriented towards sustainability and democracy. For several years, UNISOL has been an active member of our network, represented in the CICOPA board by its President, Arildo Mota Lopes.

During his visit, Mr Albizuri learned about the Brazilian worker cooperatives model. He visited UNIFORJA, one of the largest manufacturers of forged steel rings, flanges and fittings in South America. Located in Diadema (São Paulo), UNIFORA is the main worker cooperative affiliated with UNISOL and serves as a national benchmark for democratically owned organizations in the metallurgical sector.

The meeting also consolidated an important step in the international repositioning of UNISOL Brazil, especially in discussing resuming its relations with the ICA World and CICOPA, expanding channels for dialogue and the exchange of technical and political knowledge among cooperatives from different continents.

The visit by the CICOPA President was characterised by an atmosphere of positive dialogue and rapprochement, with prospects for new future cooperation being identified.