Cooperative Economic Framework Key to Global Trust and Rural Development, Says Binod Anand

Binod Anand, Secretary General of the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India, advocated for a Cooperative Economic Framework to reduce trust deficit and boost rural development globally at a United Nations conference. He suggested creating cooperative commodity exchanges and free trade zones to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) effectively.

At a United Nations conference on Financing for Sustainable Development in Addis Ababa, Binod Anand, Secretary General of the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India, promoted the Cooperative Economic Framework as a means to reduce global trust deficit and streamline rural development. Anand emphasized the necessity of creating cooperative commodity exchanges and free trade zones, particularly in the Caribbean and African regions, to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on time.

Addressing a ministerial session attended by diplomats, ambassadors, and the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, Anand underscored the urgent need to build trust through a robust cooperative framework. He highlighted that the creation of the World Cooperation Economic Forum, with Dileep Shanghani as Chairman and Professor Rakesh Arrawatia as a founder member, is a step towards integrating efforts to meet the SDGs.

Anand noted that cooperatives play a critical role alongside the private sector and civil society. He pointed out that the value chain in underdeveloped and developing nations often lacks democracy, making cooperative networks crucial for sustainable development. Anand also shared India's successful cooperative models and called for documenting these efforts in a white paper for the upcoming FFD4 2025 meeting in Spain. He stressed the need for a global cooperative economic zone to facilitate sustainable development financing.

(With inputs from agencies.)