Over 400 ICA delegates attended the ICA General Assembly (ICA GA) in Manchester on 2 July, where they adopted a new long-term strategy for the global movement (2026-2030).
“We are here to set out new objectives,” ICA President Dr Ariel Guarco told the Assembly, adding that Greater Manchester, as the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement, was the best place to do this.
Delegates were welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Carmine Grimshaw.
“Cooperatives help build a better world and it’s a real privilege to host leaders of a movement that now serves 1.2 billion people globally,” he said.
“Manchester is intertwined with the cooperative movement,” added Rose Marley, the CEO of Co-operatives UK.
The GA confirmed the mandate of the at-large director appointed by the ICA board by co-option, Macloud Malonza, who will complete the mandate of the previous director.
Giuseppe Guerini was also announced as a new board director representing Europe.
President Guarco provided an overview of the numerous activities undertaken in his role, providing insights into engagements following the last General Assembly held in December in New Delhi.
Delegates also heard from ICA Director General, Jeroen Douglas, who called for “one movement with one strategy and one brand experience”.
“Everything we do starts with our Statement on the Cooperative Identity,” he said.
He provided an overview of the ICA’s activities around Governance and Membership, Communications, Fundraising, HR and Finances and Cross-cutting themes.
The New ICA Strategic Plan 2026-2030 adopted by the GA is based on the Theory of Change, which positions the ICA as a change agent.
Mr Douglas explained this is a tool to help and to unite the movement, a movement-wide strategy, rather than a business plan.
The strategy will act as a blueprint over the next six months and will be translated into an operational plan.
Regional and sectoral organisations and thematic committees were able to provide feedback on the strategy over the past six months.
Key initiatives that will be undertaken under the strategy are championing the cooperative advantage, developing and creating cooperatives, prioritising women and youth in cooperative leadership and service, deepening cooperative research and enabling training and education, transforming cooperative knowledge into data power through coop tech platforms, stepping up cooperative advocacy, driving cooperative sustainability and funding cooperative growth.
“It’s a bold strategy but we’re one billion members so we need to be bold and self-confident,” said Mr Douglas.
The GA also approved and adopted a new coordinated text of the Articles of Association and also discussed a recent development in Ecuador, where a change in legislation could endanger the existence of cooperatives in the country.
Cooperatives of the Americas (ACI Americas) President, Doctor José Alves de Souza Neto, expressed concerns over these developments, adding they could set a dangerous precedent for the whole region. He said ACI Americas would continue to lobby for favourable cooperative laws and raise this issue at the next United Nations event.
The General Assembly concluded with a standing ovation to the memory of the Rochdale Pioneers.
The next ICA General Assembly will take place in September 2026 in Panama and coincide with the ICA Americas’ Regional Assembly.
