World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Russian Credit Union League are strengthening cooperation. This year in September 5-23 representatives of WOCCU came to work with Russian Credit Union League. The delegation was composed of  WOCCU representatives (Brian Branch – Chief Operating Officer, Liliana Tangwall  - Credit Union Analyst), heads and specialists number of US Credit Union League (Dana Hofmann – Minnesota, Anne Cochran – Louisiana, John Florian – Ohio, Patrick Jury – Iowa). It was remarkable and significant that among the delegation there was descendant of our compatriots in the third generation Gene Brody. He is the President of Bay Ridge Federal Credit Union created by immigrants from Russia in New York in 1936.

The program of work with the delegation was designed in such a way they could visit and learn some credit cooperative activities and associations on regional level. While staying in Russia WOCCU specialists visited organizations – members of Credit Union League in different regions (Republic of Kareliya, Primorskiy and Habarovskiy krai, Kemerovskaya, Moscowskaya, Leningradskaya oblast, Moscow and Saint-Petersburg) where they met with staff of credit cooperatives and associations, their members, and board members. During the visit the main point was addressed to the issues of creation of stable system within Credit Union League. The strategy of further interaction was discussed at the meeting with Board members and management of Credit Union League. In the intense schedule there were meetings with representatives of governmental bodies (Ministry of Trade and Economic Development of RF, Finance Ministry of RF) where there was discussion of issues of legislative maintenance of credit cooperative activities, regulation and self-regulation.

It is not the first visit of WOCCU specialists to Russia. The first steps to create interaction were made at the start of revival of credit cooperatives in Russia at the beginning of nineties. At that time WOCCU contributed to the formation of credit cooperation in this country. There was time the cooperation was weak. 

In recent two years cooperation of WOCCU with Russian Credit Union League has been made more active. Leadership and management of WOCCU visited Russia in February, 2005 – May, 2006. Within these visits they studied the situation of credit cooperation development in Russia. In its turn Russian Credit Union League is also aimed to enter International Credit Union Movement. Being a member of WOCCU this year in July representatives of the League participated in the annual conference and AGM of World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) in Ireland (Dublin). There the agreement of cooperation was signed between World Council of Credit Unions and Russian Credit Union League. According to this agreement by this time in 2006 the work launches to provide technical support and training for specialists of Associations and credit cooperatives affiliated to Credit Union League. In the framework of the project implementation it is proposed to share technologies and methods with Credit Union League which will favor to build and develop stable and system for Russian credit cooperatives and to involve them into World Credit Union Movement. 

So, the visit of colleagues from WOCCU which took place on September 5-23 is further development of the cooperation. While summing up the results of the visit specialists of WOCCU noted that Credit Union League had significant potential for further growth and development. Since the beginning of the revival of credit cooperatives in Russia weighty results have been achieved. Representatives of WOCCU confirmed their willingness to cooperate closely and provide various support while noting that members of Credit Union League were open, transparent and adhere International Credit Union Principles in their activities. Specific proposals were considered regarding training of credit union specialists and terms of the first training-seminars. There was discussion of issues of applying of international standards of credit union activities, software.