Summary of Proceedings 10th Asia Pacific Cooperative Ministers' Conference, "Statement of Ministers, International Agencies and Cooperative Leaders, Reolutions and Proiceedings'', Vietnam 2017

Abstract

I am delighted to present to you the Conference Report of the 10* Asia Pacific Co operative Ministers Conference (APCMC) on "Promoting Stronger Partnership between Government and Co-operative Stakeholders in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)." The report contains the Declaration and Recommendations and a summary record of the proceedings of the Conference held at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi from April 18 to 21, 2017. The SDGs have an aspirational set of goals to "end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all" as part of a global development agenda. The 2030 Agenda recognizes co-operatives, which are members-owned, value-based, and sustainable enterprises, as important players within the private sector to achieve the SDGs. The Regional Consultations held before the Conference and the deliberations in the conference have reiterated that the success of co-operatives in achieving the SDGs relies altogether on a healthy member base, good governance, and expansion and advancement that is grounded in communities and supported by strong and strategic partnerships with respective governments and international and national organizations in the Asia Pacific Region. Partnership Is considered crucial in this day and age and to bring about sustained economic democracy, co-operatives must work in partnership with key stakeholders. The International Co-operative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) is grateful to the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for their whole-hearted support throughout the conference. Our sincere thanks to the Vietnam Co-operative Alliance (VCA) for their exemplary organization and to Mr. Vo Kim Cu, President VCA and the staff, headed by Ms. Tran Thu Hang, for their tireless efforts during the conference. Our gratitude to all the honorable Ministers and senior government officials who attended the conference and contributed to the conference proceedings. We are thankful to the international organizations who attended the conference and made valuable recommendations. I would like to thank all ICA members from the Asia Pacific region for their enthusiastic participation during the regional consultations and the conference. I am grateful to Mr. Charles Gould, Director General ICA and Mr. Martin Lowery from the ICA Global Board for attending the conference. My thanks to Mr. Li Chunsheng, President of ICA-AP and the Regional Board for their generous support and encouragement. My special gratitude to Drs. Robby Tulus, former Regional Director, for his continuous support and guidance prior, during and after the conference. I am thankful to Ms. Erin Hayden for painstakingly putting together the conference proceedings. I would like to acknowledge the terrific support from staff at the Regional Office and specially acknowledge the efforts of Ms. Savitri Singh, Mr. Sethu Madhavan and Mr. Santosh Kumar. The Asia Pacific region has an important role to play in ensuring the commitments made at the International Summit of Co-operatives in Quebec, the 12* ICA-AP Regional Assembly in New Delhi, and the 10* APCMC in Hanoi are met. The conference has pointed out that attaining the SDGs, requires a multi-stakeholder approach in which concreate actions are taken in a measurable and time-bound manner. We are committed to taking forward the Declaration and Recommendations coming out of the conference.