INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVES TRADE PROMOTION ORGANISATION

Iran suggests ICA to form International Co-operatives Trade Promotion Organisation.

Iran’s Chamber of Cooperatives Secretary General has put forward the suggestion for the establishment of an international cooperatives trade promotion organization to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA).

Mohammad-Reza Ramezani made the suggestion in the two-day ICA extraordinary general assembly meeting which was held in Rome during June 5-6, 2008. “Cooperatives are self-motivated and human-based entities the function of which is more perceivable in critical situations and they can act as public and comprehensive organizations towards materialization of global development in this millennium.”

“Nowadays, cooperatives can prove their key role more than the past in economic and social developments of societies in the 21st centaury,” he added.

“With nearly one billion members throughout the world, the ICA can illustrate its capacities in different economic and social fields,” Ramezani explained. He remarked that that the ICA should consider the facing challenges towards globalization, support of trade and economic activities in national and international levels, and promotion of trade between cooperatives in order to meet it’s members requirements.

Two hundred eighty four delegates from 120 countries met in Rome to discuss and decide on a series of restructuring proposals, changes to the ICA Rules.

They adopted all recommendations included in the ICA Restructuring Report as proposed and unanimously approved new and amended ICA rules and by-laws which include a new subscription and voting system.

Members further unanimously elected Mr. Won-Byung Choi of the National Agricultural Co-operative Federation of Korea (NACF) to the ICA Board.

ICA is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. Founded in 1895, ICA has 226 member organizations from 88 countries active in all sectors of the economy. Together these co-operatives represent more than 800 million individuals worldwide.