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President
Address by Won Churll-Hee |
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May I, first of all, take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of you kindly extending supports and cooperation. I am much pleased to meet all of you, respected cooperative leaders here. On the occasion of this meeting, especially I welcome new cooperators from Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA), to be enrolled on the list of ICAO membership. Since its establishment in 1985, we, ICAO as an ICA specialized body, have made efforts in order to advocate members' rights and interests while increasing the value of cooperatives and specially enabling the cooperative movement in agricultural sector to flourish around the world. As what is a notable thing today, new membership of five organizations shows us sign of high possibility in revitalizing international agricultural cooperative movement. But we should realize that there are a myriad of tasks to cope with challenges in the wake of rapidly changing environment, rather than we remain self-confident appreciation of existing achievements. We have witnessed a surge of changes as the pace of globalization accelerates, the competitive environment intensifies drastically, the needs of members and customers become more sophisticated and, especially transnational enterprises expand the realm of their businesses. Now we must get over the challenges with great efforts, creative thoughts and proactive attitudes. The inherent force of cooperative is getting not from capability of member individual himself, but from alliance among members and orchestrated harmony. I firmly believe that cooperative, as a great invention in human civilization, will be shined forth with its value in the new century, and will play the pivotal roles, leading peaceful community with prosperity. We have to note that the more globalization accelerate, the more agriculture as an essential sustainer of human society is getting important, especially because of food security and sustainable environment. I proudly say that we, agricultural cooperatives with over 400million member farmers and responsible for over 50 percent of agricultural production and marketing in the world cannot but become the most important NGO in the new era. In this sense, the ICAO should be born again, charged with the historic mission of regenerating the agricultural cooperative movement. This is the right time for us to strengthen alliance among members and also to expand membership, in order to be a sizable organization representing world agricultural cooperatives both in its name and reality. Today we are pleased to invite guest speaker Mr. Mark Ritchie who has illustrious perspective and wonderful reputation in field of agricultural trade issues. I believe that his presentation will deliver a valuable message for us to be taking the adoption of the statement on the next WTO Agricultural Negotiations in the afternoon. In order to fit in constitutional management corresponding to present environment, we will take the important agenda business on the amendment of ICAO Rules. Also we are about to discuss business plan such as 'Workshop on the Development of Agricultural Cooperative', 'Conference on the position of Agricultural Cooperative on the WTO Agricultural Negotiation' and, Statement on the Development of Agricultural Cooperative in Transitional Countries. In these regards, I firmly believe that this general meeting will produce much fruitful results to advance an another stride for the development of agricultural cooperative movement. Again I would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to my all cooperators for your devoted cooperation. Thank you. |
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