ICA Structure

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ICA

Activities

Members

General Assembly
Board
Regional Assembly
Regional Boards
Sectoral Organisations
Thematic Committees
Other Committees

ICA Structure

ICA is a decentralised organisation, democratically governed by its members.

General Assembly

The General Assembly is the highest policy-making body of the ICA, bringing together representatives from all member organisations every two years. The General Assembly:

formulates and implement the policy on major issues affecting the future of ICA and the worldwide co-operative movement;
approves the ICA Strategic Plan and financial framework; elects the President, members of the Board
elect the President and the Board, to ratify the election of the Vice-Presidents, and the sectoral organisation and youth representatives to the Board;
appoints the external auditor;
ratifies the appointment and removal of the Director-General on the recommendation of the Board;
amends the ICA Statutes and Bye-Laws
decides on the membership subscriptions and representation formulae;
approves the ICA annual audited accounts;
confirms all dispositions taken by the Board, or by any other unincorporated regional or sectoral entity of ICA, which imposes liabilities or obligations on ICA, such as investments, borrowings, mortgages, buying and selling of real estate, as well as other agreements;
approves the establishment or dissolution of ICA regions and their respective Regional Assemblies, Sectoral Organisations and Thematic Committees on the recommendation of the Board.

More information General Assemblies > >

ICA is invited by one of more of its members to hold its General Assembly. In this way, ICA member representatives are able to meet a wide range of co-operators from the host movement, sharing experience and knowledge. Holding an ICA General Assembly also provides an opportunity for the host movement to engage in dialogue with government representatives and engage national and local media coverage as a means to further promote co-operatives in their country.

Board

The ICA Board - President, four Vice-Presidents, and eighteen members - develops and monitors a global strategy for ICA, approves the budget and oversees the functioning of the ICA. It decides on all membership application and related issues, establishes establish committees including an Audit Committee, and working groups from among its members and others, and decide upon their terms of reference, makes recommendations on the establishment and dissolution of the sectoral and thematic committees of the ICA, and appoints the Director-General.

Meet the ICA Board (2009-2103) > > >

Regional Assemblies

The Regional Assemblies for Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe take place every second year, alternating with the General Assembly. The functions of the these assemblies include:

implementing General Assembly decisions at the regional level
establishing regional work programmes,
electing a Regional Board, and
electing their President who serves as ICA Vice-President

In many regions, the statutory Regional Assembly meeting is held in conjunction with a regional conference or forum focusing on a particular area of interest to co-operators in that region.

Regional Elected Bodies

Each region has its own regional ‘board’ composed of a President, Vice President and other members elected by the Regional Assembly for a four-year term. The Regional Boards work within the global strategic framework of the ICA laid down every four years by the ICA General Assembly, approve within the global ICA four-year workplan, budget and redistribution agreements, the annual regional budget and workplan prepared by the Regional Director for integration into the global budget and workplan for approval by the ICA Board; in conjunction with the ICA Director-General be responsible for the appointment of the Regional Director; establish committees and working groups where appropriate; provide recommendations on membership issues from their region to the ICA Board; and ensure regional finance and budgeting are strictly monitored and within the general guidelines of ICA.

Sectoral Organisations

ICA has eight sectoral organisations which regroup ICA member organisations with specific sectoral interests. Each organisation is democratically governed and financed by the ICA.

Thematic Committees

ICA has four Thematic Committees which enable ICA members to focus on the issues of co-operative research, communications, human resource development and gender equality. Each Committee is democratically governed by its members and financed and supported by the ICA.

Last Updated: 7 April 2010