ICA message on the war in Ukraine

15 March 2022

The International Cooperative Alliance stands with cooperators around the world in expressing our concern about the war in Ukraine and our solidarity with all affected by it, wherever they live.

As Cooperatives Europe recently addressed, the cooperative movement is one of “intense collaboration, of common understanding and mutual respect”, and at the same time, cooperation relies on a “stable international community, based on rules and principles that should not be undermined”.

Therefore, we condemn the use of military force against any civilian population and call on the international community to bring peace and advocate for diplomatic solutions to prevent the suffering of millions of innocent people.

The conflict, like it is happening in other places on our planet where armed conflicts persist, has created a humanitarian crisis that mobilises us.

The ICA is working to connect cooperatives around the world who can offer aid and support in this time of great need. We would like to encourage others to join with us in this vital effort to mitigate the hardships being inflicted on the Ukrainian people.

Advocating for the immediate cessation of violence in Ukraine, we continue to call on governments, international organizations, and civil society organizations in general to build a positive global agenda for peace based on cooperation. Imposition by force will never be the way.

In the spirit of the ICA Declaration on Positive Peace through Cooperatives, we reaffirm that conflicts arise from unmet human needs and aspirations. The ultimate goal for cooperatives is the satisfaction of basic human needs and aspirations. Cooperatives act for a better, more inclusive, more sustainable, more participative, and more prosperous future for all.

Ariel Guarco
President of the International Cooperative Alliance