From Aid to Ownership. The Cooperative Approach to International Development. A Practical Guide for Inclusive Partnerships.

Cooperatives Europe is proud to announce the #coops4dev🌍 publication of “From Aid to Ownership. The Cooperative Approach to International Development. A practical guide for inclusive partnerships”.  

This practical guide is designed to inform partnership decisions and investment opportunities of (European) cooperative enterprises and networks, development donors and policymakers.  

Why this publication matters?  

• It raises awareness on what makes ICD a distinctive and long-term international development tool  

• With 4 distinctive toolkits, it provides actors operating with people-centered businesses and promoting inclusive economic empowerment  with action-oriented instruments to identify entry points for international partnerships. 

• It reflects on the future role of people-centred businesses – and in particular cooperatives – in the next EU Long-term Budget (MFF, 2028-34) and the Global Gateway priorities. 

Co-authored by Ifigeneia Douvitsa (Democritus University of Thrace; Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University), Dina Rakin (independent researcher & consultant), Paola Rosatelli and Annalisa Vallone (Cooperatives Europe) in the framework of the ICA-EU Partnership (#coops4dev🌍), this guide positions cooperatives and their development structures as reliable partners to advance the EU External Action Agenda and, more broadly, the UN Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals. 

Download the Guide 

Download the guide.(PDF) (ENG) 

About #coops4dev🌍 

This guide is published in the framework of the ICA–EU Partnership #Coops4Dev🌍, a global Financial Framework Partnership Agreements signed between the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the European Commission, of which Cooperatives Europe is co-applicant and implementing partner. #coops4dev🌍 aims at strengthening cooperatives as key partners and actors in the advancement of the UN Agenda2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals. 

This article has been co-funded by the European Union. The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of  Cooperatives Europe and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.