How was the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives for you and your organisation?
The 2025 International Year of Cooperatives (IYC 2025) has been a truly remarkable and affirming year for me personally, and for the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) as a whole. As president of ICA-AP, one of the most significant milestones was our Regional Assembly in Colombo from 24–28 November, held under the IYC 2025 theme: “Cooperatives Build a Better World: Strengthening Resilience, Sustaining Investment, and Smart Communication.”
The Assembly was not just another event; it marked the culmination of our regional IYC journey, which began in February in Tokyo, and brought together a rich mix of over 450 leaders, practitioners, researchers, youth, women, and partners from across Asia and the Pacific.Throughout the year, I had the privilege of witnessing how our members – from Iran to Fiji – embraced IYC 2025 with enthusiasm and purpose. They did not limit themselves to symbolic celebrations; they worked to secure tangible results. The resolution on co-operatives adopted by the Diet in Japan, the new National Cooperation Policy in India, and the recognition of co-operatives as one of the pillars of development in Sri Lanka are powerful examples of governments acknowledging the vital role of co-operatives in national development.
Our members have also used this year to showcase the co-operative difference, demonstrating how co-operatives generate decent work, support farmers and workers, promote women’s leadership, encourage youth participation, and contribute to climate resilience and food security. Across the region, we saw new initiatives in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, digitalisation, co-operative branding and storytelling, as well as cross-border exchanges and partnerships.
IYC 2025 has strengthened our relationships with governments, UN agencies, and development partners, and it has reinforced the legitimacy of co-operatives as key actors in building inclusive and sustainable economies.
What are your hopes for 2026?
For us, IYC 2025 was not an endpoint but a launchpad. It has deepened our sense of regional solidarity and renewed our commitment to ensure that co-operatives are not only recognised in declarations, but also supported in practice – so they can continue to build a better world for people across Asia and the Pacific.
In 2026, we hope to build on this momentum. We will continue to advocate for enabling legislation, equal treatment of co-operatives alongside other forms of enterprise, and equitable access to finance and markets so that co-operatives can grow, innovate, and serve their communities better. With 2026 being marked as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we also hope to see women in rural and agricultural co-operatives gain greater visibility, voice, and leadership.
Our desire is that 2026 becomes a year in which co-operative identity is translated even more clearly into concrete gains for women, youth, and communities on the ground.
