Coe is developing links and associations (9)

I believe the answer is:

societies

'associations' is the definition.
(society is a kind of association)

'coe is developing links' is the wordplay.
'developing' indicates an anagram.
'links' becomes 'ties' (tying is a kind of linking).
'coe'+'is'='coeis'
'coeis' anagrammed gives 'socie'.
'socie'+'ties'='SOCIETIES'

'and' is the link.

(Another definition for societies that I've seen is " Groups with a distinctive cultures".)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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