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In many African countries cooperatives do not currently have the ability to effectively represent their members and respond to their needs in the national policy development process. Some countries lack efficient cooperative networks (i.e. horizontal coordination between regional and sectoral cooperative organisations) and cooperative support structures (i.e. vertical coordination between cooperatives at local, meso and national levels). In some other countries, these cooperative support institutions have never existed, or have vanished due to lack of resources in the last decades or due to policy and political changes. If these structures are in place, they are sources of increased competitiveness and empowerment as they provide services to their cooperative members such as: education and training; guidance on market information and access; audit services; credit or business registration; research; communication services etc...
CoopAfrica is promoting and building institutional capacity for the support institutions to deliver business services to cooperatives and to become Centres of Competence.
What is a Centre of Competence – CoC?
A CoC is an institution that has developed a well-known and proven expertise in cooperative-related areas and business services in general. The expertise may be specific (e.g. Accounting) and may be either academic or practical, but it may also reflect an inter-disciplinary approach through combining technological developments, cutting-edge research and practical experience (e.g. How to develop market information centres).
The CoC is a reliable, recognised and high quality business service provider that offers relevant services that strengthen cooperatives' identity as well as management and entrepreneurial capacities
A Call for Interest was launched in March 2009 inviting eligible organisations in eight countries across Africa to apply and to be selected as business service providers for cooperatives or Centres of Competence (CoC).
Cooperative unions, cooperative colleges (pdf file, 24 Kb) , apex bodies, and federations are mobilised in priority since they have the mandate to offer services to their cooperative members, and have the knowledge and the comprehension to address the cooperative movement’s philosophy. However, and specifically at this initial stage of the process, other types of institutions such as research institutes, NGOs, development centres, government agencies or private enterprises, related or not to cooperatives, can be contracted as CoC, should their competencies be relevant to the cooperative development process. They can provide support directly to primary cooperatives or indirectly by building capacity of potential cooperative CoC.
How can an organisation apply to the CoC selection process? 
The national cooperative movement in Africa (through the National Advisory Group (pdf file, 104Kb) and Focal Points), with the support of CoopAfrica has set up a procedure of identification, selection, monitoring and evaluation of CoC.
A first screening and capacity assessment process allows identification of organisations that are immediately Operational CoC and those which need to be strengthened prior to a CoC designation, CoC ‘in waiting’. For the latter group – exclusively cooperative support organisations- the Challenge Fund Services are used to strengthen their capacity and build their expertise so that they can fully provide appropriate support to primary cooperatives.
A recognised and designated CoC is enlisted into a Cooperative Business Service Provider Catalogue (in the process of being designed). This directory will create a structured network for cooperatives and service providers to contract business opportunities and will contribute to strongly position cooperatives within a pro active business environment.
For more information about the Selection Procedure, please refer to the Call for Interest (MsWord file, 258Kb) for conditions of eligibility and download the CoC Application Form (MsWord, 260Kb) Send your filled Application Form to coopafrica@ilo.org.
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