On June 20, 2024, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) held its General Assembly as a virtual event, welcoming influential leaders from the cooperative sector worldwide.
ICA President Ariel Guarco presided the General Assembly. From India, the assembly was attended by notable figures such as ICA-AP President Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, NCUI President Dileep Sanghani, CE Sudhir Mahajan, Deputy CEO Savitri Singh among others. The newly appointed Director General, Jeroen Douglas also attended the event.
The session began with the formal appointment of the bureau and the introduction of Jeroen Douglas as the new Director General, taking over from Bruno Roelants. This transition marked a significant change in leadership for the ICA.
The assembly also approved the minutes from the previous Extraordinary ICA General Assembly, which had taken place on June 28, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium.
A substantial part of the meeting involved a detailed review of the activity report from 2023 and the approval of the annual accounts for the financial year ending December 31, 2023. Director General Douglas presented the Work Plan for 2024, which included proposals for budgets and various strategic initiatives, seeking approval from the assembly members.
Key issues discussed included amendments to voting rights and membership fees, reflecting the ICA’s commitment to evolving and adapting its governance structures in response to the needs of its members. These discussions underscored the strategic priorities for the year ahead and set a roadmap for the cooperative movement’s growth and sustainability.
The assembly highlighted the upcoming ICA Global Cooperative Conference, scheduled for November 25-30, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. This marks a historic milestone as it will be the first time the event is hosted in India in the ICA’s 130-year history.
The conference, hosted by IFFCO, is expected to bring together cooperative leaders from around the world to discuss global challenges and opportunities within the cooperative framework.
The meeting concluded with plans for the next ICA General Assembly in November 2024, which will coincide with the Global Conference in New Delhi. The event is anticipated to further strengthen the cooperative movement and enhance collaboration among members globally.