ICA Trade and Development Forum “Co-Operatives Empowering Sustainable Trade and Supply Chain”
The ICA Trade and Development Forum titled “Co-operatives Empowering Sustainable Trade and Supply Chain” was held on 7 November 2025 at the Conference Hall of the Mehood Lestie Hotel in Shanghai. The forum was jointly organized by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC), with support from the ICA-AP Committee on Trade and Business.
The forum brought together 42 representatives from a wide range of ICA member countries, including Bangladesh, Bulgaria, China, Fiji, the Philippines, India, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Netherlands, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, along with leaders of the global cooperative movement. The session, chaired by ICA Director-General Mr. Jeroen Douglas, provided a platform for dialogue on strengthening cooperative participation in sustainable trade and resilient supply chains.
A key highlight of the forum was the presentation by Datuk Seri Dr. Abdul Fattah Abdullah, President of the Malaysian National Cooperative Movement (ANGKASA) and Chair of the ICA-AP Committee on Trade and Business. In his session titled “Asia Pacific: Strengthening the Framework for Cooperative Trade,” he emphasized that cooperatives function not only as economic entities but also as social development agents that promote solidarity, social responsibility, and economic justice. He noted that the global cooperative movement comprises over one billion members and provides approximately 280 million jobs worldwide, while the Asia-Pacific region alone accounts for more than 180 million members contributing significantly to food security, community resilience, and sustainable economic growth.
He further highlighted the Committee’s role as a key regional platform for strengthening cooperative trade networks, facilitating knowledge exchange, encouraging digital innovation, and enhancing the position of cooperatives within international trade policies. As an example of successful regional collaboration, he cited the Malaysian Business Office (MBO) established in Kobe, Japan, which has served as an operational hub for trade missions, exhibitions, training programs, and business-matching initiatives among cooperatives in the Asia-Pacific region.
Another major outcome of the forum was the announcement of the Shanghai Declaration: Strategic Education for Strengthening the Future of Cooperative Trade, which outlines strategic directions for the global cooperative trade movement. The declaration addresses key themes, including the future of cooperative trade, climate change and artificial intelligence, food security, government policy support, social and solidarity economy, infrastructure initiatives, and the evolving role of cooperative members.
The declaration also emphasizes strengthening cooperative identity through initiatives such as the Co-op Label and the .coop domain as globally recognized marks of transparency, trust, and innovation. The forum reaffirmed the commitment of participating organizations to advancing cooperative trade as a driver of inclusive and sustainable development.
The session concluded with closing remarks from the President Board of Supervisors, ACFSMC, Mr. Adili Wubuli, marking the forum as a significant milestone in strengthening international collaboration and positioning cooperatives as key actors in building resilient, ethical, and sustainable global supply chains.