A high-level Roundtable Discussion on “Changing Context in the Donor Community: What it Means for International Cooperation Development” was held at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel in Colombo alongside the 17th ICA-Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) Regional Assembly.
The gathering brought together major Cooperative Development Organizations (CDOs) from across the Asia-Pacific region under the APCDP framework. At the centre of the deliberations was ICA-AP President Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, who stressed that the cooperative movement can thrive only when development actors work in close coordination. He urged organisations to embrace unity, adapt to shifting donor priorities, and align strategies to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth of cooperatives in the region.
Chandra Pal observed that global donor patterns are evolving rapidly, and cooperatives must be proactive in responding to these changes. He emphasised that shared vision, collective planning, and stronger regional cooperation will be essential to protect the interests of grassroots cooperatives and expand development opportunities.
Representing India, Savitri Singh, Deputy Chief Executive of NCUI, participated as an APCDP member and contributed insights on strengthening partnerships, improving collaborative models, and navigating new donor expectations.
The session featured active participation from APCDP members, who discussed practical approaches to deepen cooperation and enhance mutual learning. A Charter Signing Ceremony further cemented the group’s commitment to widening collaborative efforts, boosting regional impact, and exploring fresh avenues for joint development work.
The APCDP meeting concluded with a unified resolve to build resilient, people-centred, and collaboration-driven cooperative development pathways for the Asia-Pacific region, echoing Chandra Pal’s call for solidarity and strategic alignment among all cooperative development actors.
