Conference on Co-operative Development in the Pacific

Concept Note

Over the past few years, there has been a strong felt need at the level of ICA Member Organizations to provide opportunity to co-operative leaders and the government officials in charge of co-operatives to interact among themselves and with the co-operative thinkers and scholars to review the status and scope of co-operative movement in their respective countries and develop a forward looking strategy for the co-operatives to align well with the emerging trends of the global market in the era of liberalization.

In pursuance of the above, ICA Asia Pacific, during 2007 facilitated national co-operative development conferences in UAE and India with quite an impressive and stimulating out come. The major input in these conferences came from the speakers arranged by ICA AP from globally recognized successful co-operatives and bureaucrats with co-operative eminence. The following co-operative advantages were articulated through various presentations and formed the basis of deliberations in the conferences:

• Co-operatives understand the needs of the local community being member based organizations with strong linkages with the community and civil society at large.

• Co-operatives are democratically controlled organizations controlled by the elected representatives who do have the potential to leverage the political considerations and build good relationship with the governments in promoting the interests of the co-operative institutions.

• The core objective of serving the needs of the co-operative community injects the desired spirits and sense of belongingness among the members and inspires them to be competitive to survive and progress.

• Co-operatives when fully owned and controlled by members acquire enough flexibility in controlling the costs on account of the value based management practices soaked with the modest aspirations of the members.

• Enlightened membership and committed leadership coupled with knowledgeable and experienced professionals/managers can position the co-operatives at enviable position in the market.

• Cooperative values and their ethical business practices address the issue of corporate social responsibility and when publicized well adds value to the co-op brand image attributing to an assured success of the co-operative enterprise.

• Co-operative solidarity factor when capitalized in trade promotion could swiftly connect the business from local to global level.

• Classic federal character of cooperative institutions is a vital aspect in removing the market imperfections.

It has been felt that the co-operatives need to examine the relevance, scope and design of co-operatives in their respective countries and draw feasible strategies to capitalize the above advantages in promoting the business interests of the co-operatives in an enabling policy environment and proactive legislative framework.

In the above background, ICA Asia Pacific has scheduled to hold such conferences in Bhutan, Brunei, Fiji, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the year 2008.

ICA will invite speakers from successful co-operatives in India, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand from the Asia Pacific region and the Fiji co-operative movement may identify 2-3 speakers. The conference is proposed to deliberate on the success stories of the developed co-operatives, the policy framework governing regulation of co-operatives in the countries with strong co-operative movement and a detailed case study of the co-operative movement of the host country. The duration of the conference will be three days as per following indicative schedule;

Day 01 & 02:

Presentation on the case study of the co-operative movement in the host country

Presentations by the resource persons on 5 or 6 successful co-operatives

Presentation on a proactive co-op legislation and favorable government policy framework in co-operatively advanced country

Challenges and scope of co-operatives in open market economy

Group discussions on Alternatives for the Development of Co-operatives

Day 03:

Field visit to understand the co-operatives in the host country.

The conference may be titled as “ ICA Conference on Co-operative Development in the Pacific - Fiji”.

It would be advantageous if we could involve co-operative movements of Solomon islands, Vanavautu, Tonga and Papua New Guinea at this concerence.

ICA AP will provide comprehensive technical input on the above issues. However, the host co-operative movements are expected to make all the local arrangements related to the conference e.g. conference venue, conference menu, audiovisual support, secretarial and support services. The ICA-AP will take care of the international travel and other local costs of some of the external resource persons.

As stated above, the conference will help host movement to draw a suggestive framework for sustainable growth of the co-operatives through a set of recommendations for the consideration of the government and the co-operative institutions.

Tentative Programme

ICA/GOVT. OF FIJI/FIJI CO-OP UNION

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

IN SOUTH PACIFIC

PROGRAMME

Day 01 –Monday,the 07 July 2008

• Registration : 0830 – 0900 hrs

• Inauguration: 0900 – 1030 hrs

Welcome by ICA Regional Director, Mr. Shil Kwan Lee.

Greetings from Fiji Co-operative Movement by Registrar of Co-ops, Fiji

Greetings from Fiji Co-operative Union

Introduction by the Participants

Inaugural speech by His Excellency Mr…. , Minister, Govt. of Fiji, Chief Guest.

Group Photo

10:30 to 11:00 hrs. - Tea Break

• Technical Presentations:

• 11:00 – 13:30 hrs

• Present Policy of Government of Fiji to Develop Co-ops by Mr. Panipate Vonuqaqa, Registrar of Co-operatives, Fiji

• Co-op Policies, Legislation and Potential of Co-operatives in globalize economy by Mr. Are Wakowako, Expert from ILO Co-operative Development Project for the Pacific.

• Ministers’ Recommendations for Co-operative Development, evolved after several Ministers’ Conferences and Consultations, by Mr. Shil Kwan Lee, ICA Regional Director

• 13:30 to 14:30 : Lunch break

• 14:30 to 17:30

• Building business skills of co-ops to survive in market oriented economy by Japanese Consumers Co-operative Union (JCCU)

• Building business skills of co-ops to survive in market oriented economy by National Agricultural Co-operative Federation (NACF) Korea

• Development of Human Resource Development and business skills of co-ops to survive in market oriented economy by National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI)

16:00 to 16:30 – Tea Break

• Co-operative Competiveness in the Market Economy by Mr. Ramsey Margolis, Chief Excutive, New Zeland Co-operatives’ Association.

• Organising Micro-insurance for co-operatives and co-operative members by Mr. Tan Kin Lian, former Chief Executive of NTUC INCOME, Singapore

18.30 to 21.00 hrs

• Dinner/Reception hosted by ICA-AP

Day 02: Tuesday, 08 July 2008

09.00 to 11:00

• Special Address by Mr……………, Secretary, Ministry of Co-operative and Small Businesses, Fiji - Theme: Present policy of rural development in Fiji and the Pacific islands

• Country Presentations (15 minutes each) by:

- Tonga

- Papua New Guinea

- Vanuvatu

- Solomon Islands

• 11:00 to 11.30 - Tea Break

11:30 to 13:30

Briefing on group discussions

Group Discussions in two groups:

- Role of Co-operatives in National Economy

- Role of Governments in Co-operative Development

• 13:30 to 14:30 hrs - Lunch

14:30 to 16:00

Group discussions continued..)

Preparation of Group Reports

Presentation of Group Reports

16:00 to 16:30 - Tea Break

16:30 to 17.30

• Closing of Conference

18:30 to 21:00 Dinner

Day 03 – Wednesday, 09 July, 2008

Study tours to co-operatives in Fiji (Co-ops to be identified and transport, lunch, tea arrangements to be made)