TEASER – New Practical Guide on International Cooperative Development to Launch in January 2026

Cooperatives Europe is proud to announce that a new guide, From Aid to Ownership: The Cooperative Approach to International Development, will be released in early 2026. A short teaser has been published today to give an early look at the guide’s background and focus. 

Authored by Ifigeneia Douvitsa and Dina Rakin, the full publication will provide a mapping of key actors, empirical insights, and practical recommendations for policymakers, donors, and practitioners working with or alongside cooperatives. It will also introduce four concrete tools to support cooperative-based development work, from partnership design to governance and risk assessment. 

The guide explains why cooperatives are strong partners for people-centred and sustainable development, and how democratic governance, local ownership, and participation contribute to long-term outcomes in a changing global context. 

Developed under the second ICA-EU Framework Partnership on International Development and linked to the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, the guide will help organisations identify opportunities to work with cooperatives, manage risks and design effective partnership approaches. 

The full guide will follow in January 2026. Curious to learn more? Explore the teaser for an early look at the guide’s approach, structure, and tools. 

Download the teaser.