The South African National Apex Cooperative has put forth a proposal for the creation of an office dedicated to promoting cooperation among BRICS countries. SANACO head Lawrence Bale emphasized the importance of continuous and organized efforts for BRICS cooperation.
According to Bale, meetings of BRICS cooperative leaders are good, but in addition to that, it is necessary to organize an office that would work continuously and would be in charge of BRICS cooperation.
The head of the South African organization noted that the BRICS member countries are now acting in the spirit of cooperation. He added that the countries are successfully trading and exchanging what they need most, including raw materials.
For his part, the President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), Ariel Guarco, added that at a time when the world is facing numerous social, economic and environmental challenges, consumer cooperatives are proving their viability.
Guarco noted that consumer cooperatives form the largest global network with a single, unchanging principle and set of values. He went on to say that although people live and work on different continents and speak different languages, they can still understand each other and help each other find the best approaches for development and progress.
The International Forum of Consumer Cooperation is being held in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod at the Nizhny Novgorod Fair. It is attended by cooperation partners from various countries, including South Africa, China, Turkey, Belarus, Azerbaijan and others.