E.U. Section

Sub Regional Co-operative Development Meeting in Jordan 

The ICA-EU partnership on Co-operatives in Development Coordination Unit in Brussels and the US Overseas Development Council jointly organized the global co-operative development meeting on the theme: Co-operatives and International Development: How can Co-operatives and mutuals do more and better together, at the International Summit on Co-operatives 2016. The meeting looked at various development issues and the role of co-operatives in the 21st century. The key areas of deliberation during the meeting were to acknowledge the socioeconomic and geopolitical global trends and challenges, increase coop capacity to act – adapting to the new business reality, expand coop-economic power – sectoral challenges and business opportunities and, to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following this global meeting, the ICA Asia and Pacific will organize the ‘sub-regional co-operative development meeting to enhance co-operative to co-operative linkages’ on 7-8 February in Dead Sea region, Jordan in collaboration with Alliance member - Economic and Social Development Centre of Palestine (ESDC) and the Jordan Co-operative Corporation (JCC). The meeting is to enhance linkages & networking activities of co-operative organizations active in development and to develop synergies in the sub region among co-operatives in the areas of business, investment and trade that can result in the socio-economic growth of the individual members and communities, given the equitable nature of co-operative enterprises. The main objectives of the meeting are to create a platform for knowledge exchange among co-operative development organizations, establish trade and business linkages and institute a regional policy monitoring mechanism. The meeting foresees the participation of Alliance members, representatives of governments, international development agencies from Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.