The International Cooperative Alliance Africa (ICA-Africa) has developed the Africa Co-operative Development Strategy 2023-2033, which presents the path forward for co-operative enterprise development in the content over the next ten years.
It is a product of a thorough review of relevant documents, consultations, and refinement process that considers the changing socio-economic context as well as the lessons learned during the implementation of the 2017-2020 Strategy and previous other strategies.
The analysis of the ICA-Africa operational environment and contextualisation of the global and regional co-operative movement and its competitors’ undertakings served as the base for identifying strategic areas. Three strategic areas have been identified to help ICA-Africa realise its Vision and Mission. The strategic areas guided the formulation of strategic objectives.
During the ten-year Strategy period, the ICA-Africa will employ strategies seeking to realise the strategic objectives of strengthening and promoting co-operative identity, sustaining cooperation among co-operatives, and reinforcing institutional capacity for effective service delivery.
The 2023-2033 Africa Co-operative Development Strategy sets out the vision and mission for the sector, with recommended objectives and strategies for both the movement and the African States. ICA-Africa shall implement the Strategy within the three strategic areas: the promotion of co-operative identity, cooperation among co-operatives, and institutional capacity for effective service delivery. The major focus is to promote and strengthen the co-operative movement in the region and provide demand-driven services and products.
Four elements critical to the future success of the African co-operative enterprise have been identified: shared resources and services, visibility, data, as well as research and innovation. These will increase co-operatives visibility and raise awareness of the African co-operative movement in general and co-operative enterprises in particular.
As it stands, the African co-operative enterprise best practices need to be more visible to the world.
When the public is aware of co-operative values, principles, and endeavours, they are more likely to promote, apply and protect them widely. During this Strategy period, the co-operative movement in Africa shall gather, disseminate and portray information on their operations. Co-operatives will be required to mainstream research in their socio-economic activities; and promote the integration of co-operative agenda. This will nurture and develop an ecosystem that rebrands the co-operative movement and brings together the diverse favourable cultural practices and operations of co-operatives.
“Working together is our strength; let us share resources and services to stimulate co-operative investment and promote competitive enterprises.”
ICA-Africa Chairperson, High Chief Ayeola Tajudeen Oriyomi.
