WOCCU Stops All Activities & Engagements With Russia, Condemns Attack on Ukraine
WOCCU's CEO and senior executive pull out of Russian Credit Union Conference scheduled for this month.
On behalf of its Board of Directors, World Council of Credit Unions on Friday released a statement condemning Russia’s military aggressions in Ukraine
“World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) harshly condemns the Russian government’s decision to invade the independent and sovereign nation of Ukraine and use military force to cause massive devastation, death and displacement there. Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, our charitable and engagement arm, has mobilized the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund to provide financial support to mitigate both the short- and long-term impacts to Ukraine’s credit union system, its employees, and the members and communities it serves. WOCCU has also made the decision to suspend all engagements and activities with Russia across all its entities and initiatives.”
According to a spokesperson for WOCCU, President/CEO Elissa McCarter LaBorde and Senior Vice President of International Advocacy Andrew Price were scheduled speak this month via Zoom during the Russian Credit Union Leagues Annual Conference taking place in Moscow. LaBorde and Price will no longer be attending.
A WOCCU spokesperson also informed CU Times that “an all-expense paid trip to the 2022 World Credit Union Conference in Glasgow for a 2021 World Council’s Young Credit Union Professionals (WYCUP) scholarship winner from Russia is being rescinded.” CU Times has not been able to verify the name of the scholarship winner or details of how they won the scholarship.
In Friday’s statement from WOCCU, the condemnation and engagement suspensions are a direct result of “Russia’s increasingly aggressive and indiscriminate attacks on both government and civilian targets that have deepened the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”
Last week, the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) announced it creation of the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund to help mitigate impacts to the Ukrainian credit union system during the Russian military actions happening around the country.
According to WOCCU, WFCU will soon release an “updated plan for the use of donations coming into its Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund.”