A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by ICA and IFFCO in the presence of many dignitaries for holding the General Assembly & ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024, as well as for the launch of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 in New Delhi, India on Sunday.
The signatories of the MoU were IFFCO MD Dr. U S Awasthi representing IFFCO and Mr. Jeroen Douglas, in his capacity as the ICA Director-General. The MoU was signed in Jordon where Regional Assembly of ICA Asia-Pacific is being held.
Present at the occasion were ICA President Ariel Guarco, ICA AP President Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, NCDC MD Pankaj Bansal, and a host of officials drawn from both the cooperative sector and the government side.
The MoU, a copy of which is with the Indian Cooperative, reads, “A Memorandum of Understanding is made and entered into by and between: International Cooperative Alliance AISBL (hereinafter referred to as “ICA”) herein represented by Mr. Jeroen Douglas, in his capacity as the ICA Director-General and being duly authorized to do so, and Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “IFFCO” or “Host”) herein represented by Dr. Udai Shanker Awasthi, in his capacity as IFFCO Managing Director and being duly authorized to do so.”
Later, Dr. Awasthi tweeted, “A Memorandum of Understanding is signed between Mr. Jeroen Douglas, Director-General ICA to hold ICA General Assembly, ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024, and to Launch United Nations @UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at New Delhi, India.”
“A moment of pride for India as it’s the first time when ICA is holding its General Assembly in India,” his tweet stated.
The Indian Cooperative had earlier broken the news that IFFCO is going to host the mega global cooperative event, and that the event is going to take place in Delhi.
Before the signing of the MoU, an ICA team had prepared the ground by visiting India and meeting people both from the cooperative sector and government officials. Cooperative Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani was one of them.
Talking to the Indian Cooperative, ICA AP President and a man who is the highest ICA representative based in Delhi, Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, had said that the Prime Minister of India has been requested to inaugurate the event.
Santosh Shukla, IFFCO representative who heads the Committee being formed for coordinated initiatives before the November event, said that preparations for such a large-scale event have already been launched. He spoke of the booking of the Bharat Mandapam to host the event.
The Indian team expects participation of more than 1500 guests in the event. About 700 foreign cooperators from some 100 countries will attend the ICA General Assembly. Top cooperators drawn from several fields in which cooperatives are active will also attend the event. It bears recalling that cooperatives play a crucial role in dairy, fertilizer, sugar, rural and urban credits, housing, and many more.”
