ICA-AP Participates in Díli Regional Cooperative Conference and Ministerial Dialogue 2026
The Díli Regional Cooperative Conference and Ministerial Dialogue 2026 brought together government representatives, cooperative leaders and regional partners in Timor-Leste from 1 to 4 October. Held under the theme “Empowering Communities, Connecting Nations,” the conference focused on strengthening cooperatives as a driver of inclusive economic growth and regional cooperation.
The conference was particularly significant for Timor-Leste as the country continues its journey towards deeper integration with ASEAN. It provided a platform for Timor-Leste to learn from the experiences of ASEAN countries and explore how cooperatives can contribute to national development, regional connectivity and shared prosperity. The discussions also looked ahead to Timor-Leste’s ASEAN Chairmanship and the 2029 ASEAN Summit.
The conference brought together senior representatives from Timor-Leste and across the region, including H.E. Arsénio Pereira da Silva, Secretary of State for Cooperatives of Timor-Leste; H.E. Filipus Nino Pereira, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Timor-Leste; H.E. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC); and H.E. Milena Rangel, Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Timor-Leste, along with cooperative leaders and representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Cambodia and other countries.
A key theme throughout the discussions was the opportunity for Timor-Leste to connect more closely with the wider ASEAN market. With potential in areas such as agriculture, coffee, fisheries, seaweed and the blue and green economies, cooperatives can play an important role in connecting local producers with regional and international markets.
The discussions also highlighted the growing role of the ASEAN Cooperative Organization (ACO), led by Datuk Seri Dr. Abdul Fattah Abdullah, President of ANGKASA. ACO provides an important platform for cooperatives across Southeast Asia to strengthen cooperation, exchange experiences and explore opportunities for Coop-to-Coop engagement. For Timor-Leste, such regional platforms can open new pathways for knowledge sharing, partnerships, trade and cooperative development.
Against this regional backdrop, Ms. Shivali Sarna, Head of Communications and Membership Development at ICA Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP), represented ICA-AP at the conference and participated in the panel on “Community-Based Cooperative Champions and Socio-Economic Transformation.” The session was moderated by Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Razak Shaik, Deputy President of ANGKASA.
The panel brought together perspectives from across the cooperative and public sectors. Ms. Sarna shared the discussion with Mr. Efendee O P Andu, Vice Chief Executive Officer for Operations and Regulation at the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission; Dato’ Kamarudin Bin Ismail, Vice President of ANGKASA; Mr. Haji Mazri Mahmood, CEO of Koperasi Sahabat Malaysia Berhad (Kop Sahabat); and Mr. Riza Azmi, Assistant Deputy for Cooperative Digitalization at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Republic of Indonesia.
Ms. Sarna shared ICA-AP’s experience in strengthening cooperative movements through membership development, communication, partnerships and regional networking. She highlighted that cooperatives that succeed over the long term tend to stay close to their members and respond to real community needs. Strong democratic governance, transparency and member participation are equally important. Cooperatives must also continue investing in education, skills and the next generation of leaders.
At the same time, she emphasized that cooperatives are not only social organizations. They are also economic enterprises that need to be well managed, financially sustainable and capable of creating long-term value for their members.
The discussion also explored the contribution of cooperatives to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ms. Sarna noted that cooperatives are already contributing to areas such as poverty reduction, decent work, gender equality, food security, financial inclusion and climate action. The opportunity now is to communicate this contribution more effectively and ensure that the work of cooperatives is recognized in national and global development discussions.
For Timor-Leste, she encouraged stronger engagement with the wider cooperative movement in Asia and the Pacific. She highlighted ICA-AP’s thematic and sectoral committees as platforms for knowledge exchange, peer learning and capacity building. She also encouraged Timor-Leste’s cooperative leaders to explore regional networks such as the Pacific Island Cooperative Network (PICON) and ACO, as well as direct Coop-to-Coop partnerships.
She also encouraged Timor-Leste to consider reconnecting with the ICA family. The Confederation of Cooperatives in Timor-Leste was an ICA member from 2016 to 2023, and renewed engagement could create opportunities for Timor-Leste’s cooperatives to connect with the wider movement and access regional knowledge, expertise and peer networks.
Reflecting on the discussions, Ms. Sarna emphasized that every cooperative movement has its own history, context and local solutions. Creating spaces for these experiences to be shared can help cooperatives learn from one another, build partnerships and turn the principle of cooperation among cooperatives into practice. The conference reaffirmed the importance of stronger regional connections and highlighted the potential of cooperatives to connect communities, create economic opportunities and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable ASEAN.