As people-centered businesses, cooperatives are managed by their members, who are also owners. Members have equal say in what their organization does and how it generates and uses profits.

Cooperatives are a proven model in international development, enabling people around the world to take control of their livelihoods.

Supporting the growth of cooperatives is therefore an established way of empowering local people and communities to take charge of their own development, putting people before profit.

About the ICA-EU partnership

In March 2016, the global office of the International Cooperative Alliance signed a partnership agreement with the European Commission, initiating a new phase of collaboration to strengthen the cooperative movement as a development actor.

Acting as partners, the ICA regional and global offices carry out actions in collaboration with members, sectors, civil society organizations, international institutions and the EU, with the purpose of strengthening the cooperative voice within the framework of the programs and development policies.

The partnership is organized around several lines of work: giving greater visibility, sharing and providing training activities, reinforcing the creation of cooperative development networks, establishing collaboration agreements with other development actors and supporting all of this with scientific evidence. provided by the research papers.