Statutory Meeting of the ICA-AP Committee on Credit and Banking

The ICA-AP Committee on Credit and Banking (ICCB) convened its meeting on 25 November 2025 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in conjunction with the 17th ICA-AP Regional Assembly. The meeting brought together representatives from member organizations across the Asia–Pacific region to review the year’s achievements, outline priority areas for 2026, and confirm the Committee’s leadership for the upcoming term.

The session opened with remarks from Mr. K. K. Ravindran, Chairperson of the Committee and Managing Director of NAFCARD (India), who highlighted the continued relevance of credit and banking cooperatives in promoting local economic resilience and inclusive financial services across the region. He noted that the ICCB, constituted in 1998, now represents 53 members from 14 countries and 44 organizations, reflecting strong regional engagement in cooperative financial development.

Members reviewed key activities undertaken during 2025, including the Snapshot on Credit and Banking Cooperatives in the Asia-Pacific, produced under the ICA–EU Partnership Project; the Exposure Visit to Indian Credit Cooperatives held in July; and the Cybersecurity Webinar focusing on data protection and digital risks in cooperative banking. The meeting also acknowledged the success of the day’s Roundtable on “Challenges for Credit and Banking Cooperatives”, which explored two critical areas: Governance & Access to Credit and Digitalization & Transformation, with insights shared by speakers from Sri Lanka, India, Jordan, and the Philippines.

A brief presentation was made on the proposed Work Plan for 2026, including a quarterly webinar series on emerging themes such as green financing, a regional study on best practices in digitized cooperative banking, a learning visit for practitioners, and a new initiative to nurture youth leadership in cooperative finance. Members expressed support for the Committee’s proactive direction and alignment with sectoral needs across diverse national contexts.

During the closing segment, the Committee deliberated on the agenda item concerning elections for office bearers. Members unanimously agreed that continuity in leadership would best support the Committee’s ongoing initiatives and multi-country collaborations. Accordingly, the Committee resolved to retain the existing office bearers for the 2026 – 2029 term, reaffirming:

• Mr. K. K. Ravindran, Chairperson (NAFCARD, India)
• Mr. Raul M. Calayan Jr., Vice Chairperson (NCCB, Philippines)
• Dato’ Haji Che Mohd. Shukree Che Isa, Vice Chairperson (ANGKASA, Malaysia)

This unanimous decision underscored the members’ confidence in the current leadership’s ability to guide ICCB’s strategic priorities, strengthen its knowledge platforms, and promote cooperative credit systems across the Asia–Pacific.