October 2017

President Monique F. Leroux's message

Dear co-operators,

We are two weeks away from our Global Conference where more than 1,500 participants will be meeting in Malaysia. If you are not registered yet, I encourage you to do so quickly to enjoy the programme organised for you. We have created a programme to ensure discussions on co-operative challenges and projects, to have moments to network, and discover the Malaysian co-operative movement. I would like to thank ANGKASA for their important collaboration in organising this event that will be a highlight of the Alliance’s activities this year.

The months of September and October were focused on organising this co-operative gathering. I had the privilege to receive in Montreal, Canada, two business committees of the Alliance, the Leadership Circle and the Co-operative roundtable. We discussed how the co-operative movement should position itself in the emerging economies. IFFCO, Coop Israël, All-China Federation of supply and marketing and from Co-operatives for a better world presented their online network or Ecommerce platforms. We explored together how we could do more. I want to thank the members of those committees for their commitment and their generosity in sharing their projects.

I also had the opportunity to meet ICMIF’s board during their biennial conference in London on 17 October. I would like to thank Mr Tarbuck and Ms Vernaillen for their warm welcome. During the session on “Leadership challenges in a responsible industry”, we addressed the impact of the co-operative and mutual movement on societies within the context of the insurance industry playing a crucial role in securing our socio-economic future. The discussion was very stimulating. I explained, among other things, the need for more confidence in the world and how mutual insurance companies are all about inspiring confidence. I talked about innovation and how it was important to use the latest tools to remain competitive.

Lastly, I want to draw your attention on the interviews with the candidates for the presidency (Ariel Guarco and Yogeshwar Krishna) included in this newsletter. I will have the opportunity to moderate a discussion with them in Kuala Lumpur on 16 November. I encourage you to send me your questions for our candidates at leroux@ica.coop   

I would like to thank our global office for all their efforts and their commitment in making this event a memorable moment for our movement.

With appreciation,

Monique F. Leroux

Interview with Alliance president, Monique F. Leroux

On 17 November the members of the International Co-operative Alliance will elect a new board of directors at their board meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Given the many upcoming governance changes associated with a new president and executive, this will mark a turning point in the global co-operative movement. This was the setting for the recent chat between the eDigest team and outgoing president Monique F. Leroux.  The Kuala Lumpur meeting will be Ms Leroux’s last opportunity to address co-operators as president of the International Co-operative Alliance.

Read the interview here.

Appeal to assist co-operative reconstruction in south-east Asia, the Caribbean and the recent earthquake in Mexico

Co-operators and their communities are suffering the results of the devastating floods in south-east Asia last month followed by hurricanes across the Caribbean and this week by the earthquake in Mexico. They need assistance from co-operatives across the world to help them recover and rebuild their lives. The global co-operative movement is launching an emergency appeal for funds to help co-operatives in countries devastated by hurricanes, flooding and earthquake in recent weeks. Read more

Donate to the appeal

Case studies:

Co-ops developing a flood damage rehabilitation programme for Nepal

USA electric co-ops mobilise for disaster relief assistance

The cooperative movement will elect a full new Board: Meet the candidates

The General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will also feature elections for the full Alliance Board, including the president of the organisation. You can read more about each candidate here.

The eDigest team also carried out interviews with the two candidates for the role of president of the Alliance.

Q&A with candidates for Alliance presidency: Ariel Guarco (Argentina)

Q&A with candidates for Alliance presidency: Yogeshwar Krishna (Fiji)

What’s new in co-operation?

Regional conference of Co-operatives of the Americas sets out vision for the future

The 20th regional conference of Co-operatives of the Americas, the regional organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance, brought together 738 delegates from 24 countries to discuss about the key challenges faced by the movement in the region.

Participants and panellists showed optimism and confidence in co-operative models, in spite of challenging times due to the terrible natural disasters affecting the region. Read more

Members focus: Farm Credit Armenia celebrates 10th anniversary

Armenia’s only credit co-operative celebrated its 10th anniversary in September. Farm Credit Armenia ECO CC was founded in 2007 by 57 Armenian farmers with the support of the US Department of Agriculture. Since then it has grown to include 57 Armenian farmers and 6,800 member-shareholders.

To mark the anniversary the co-op hosted a celebratory event which featured the German Ambassador, Matthias Kiesler; the director of the Academy of German Cooperatives, Rudiger Meister; the International Department manager of the French National Federation of Savings Banks, Olivier Beaume; the secretary general of CIBP international organisation, Andrea Karner; and the president of the Russian League of Credit Unions, Tatyana Ivashkina.

Guest attending the ceremony also watched films about the 10-year activity of the co-operative and the success stories of its member-shareholders. Farm Credit Armenia has assets worth 10.7bn AMD (USD $22.4m).

Videos