The session on “Committing to Our Cooperative Identity for Cooperative Development Across the World” took place on 2 December 2021 at the World Cooperative Congress. It analyzed how cooperatives contribute to international development. Prof. Patrick Develtere, from the University of Leuven (Belgium), provided an overview of the changes in international development and role of cooperatives in the new global paradigm.

Mr Guy Tchami, from ILO COOP also joined the panel. He started by reflecting on the services provided by ILO COOP. He provided examples of intervention models that leverage the cooperative advantage to address decent work deficits. He specifically focused on how ILO works on elimination of child labour and in forced displacement contexts in Africa through cooperatives. Mr Guy Tchami's presentation can be viewed here.

In the panel Ms. Camila Pineiro, Practice Area Director at NCBA CLUSA spoke about the role of intercooperation; Ms Xiomara Nunez de Céspedes, Vice President of the ICA Gender Equality Committee who shed light on the 2nd cooperative principle ‘democratic member control’ and its implication for gender equality; and Mr Chris Oluoch, Program Director at Fairtrade Africa discussed how cooperatives enabled sustainable livelihoods.