PANAMA, 17 September: Representatives of the global cooperative movement unanimously declared cooperation as a powerful force for peace, justice, inclusion and shared prosperity, during the closing of the 2026 International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Global Conference.
The ICA and Cooperatives of the Americas jointly organised the Global Conference and their Assemblies in Panama City from 13-17 September. The event was hosted by ICA member organisations in Panama, the Instituto Panameño Autónomo Cooperativo (IPACOOP) and Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples Profesionales.
More than 1,100 people from 80 countries attended the conference, which featured 90 speakers, keynote sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, alongside the Cooperative Law Congress and the Coop EXPO.
The event, which formed part of a week of cooperative activities hosted in Panama City, saw the adoption of the Panama Declaration. The document centred on the conference theme – Building Bridges: Cooperative Contributions for a Peaceful World – and highlighted the movement’s longstanding commitment to creating economic, social and environmental value: improving the lives of members, strengthening communities, contributing to national and regional development and, collectively, creating global impact. Together, the declaration says, these are the ingredients for peace.
Presenting the document, ICA Director General, Jeroen Douglas, said: “This proclamation is an important reminder of the urgency of the peace agenda. We live in a time of profound global uncertainty and unprecedented challenges to peace, and the current persistence and escalation of conflicts and other threats to human security make this call no less relevant; rather, they demand renewed commitment and action.
“But while this is a moment of crisis, it is also one of possibility. Our young leaders, digital advancements and progression in science, medicine and innovation all offer new possibilities and tools to address the conditions that allow tension, exclusion, injustice and conflict to take root and flourish.”
The declaration noted that building positive peace requires society to address not only the immediate causes of violence and conflict, but also the social, economic, political and environmental conditions that create tension, exclusion and insecurity.
This is something cooperatives do through their very structures, says the declaration, as demonstrated by cooperatives’ contributions to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yesterday (16 September), the ICA launched a report demonstrating cooperatives as critical partners for the future of sustainable development through a series of policy briefs, addressing each of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Danilo Salerno, Regional Director of Cooperatives of the Americas, said: “There are very strong connections between the values and principles of the United Nations and those of the cooperative movement. Together, these shared principles contribute to advancing peace, prosperity, and democracy. They are building blocks that can build the bridges our divided world needs.”
The declaration reaffirmed the importance of the UN and the multilateral system in bringing nations and peoples together, and also underscored the ICA’s longstanding role in addressing peace, from its 1901 Manchester Resolution on Peace to its 2019 adoption of the Kigali Declaration on Positive Peace through Cooperatives.
“We affirm that cooperatives are builders of positive peace, rooted in our Cooperative Identity,” says the Panama declaration, highlighting how the seven Cooperative Principles translate cooperative values into a tangible commitment.
In turn, the ICA's new 2026–2030 strategy (Practice, Promote, Protect) provides the framework for turning this commitment into action.
The declaration recognises that cooperatives are already providing practical, people-centred solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, but it calls for the contribution of the business model to be recognised, supported and scaled.
Douglas said: “Declarations alone do not change realities; actions do. From Panama, we issue an urgent, unanimous call:
“We call on Cooperatives and Members to make positive peace part of everyday practice
“We call on Governments to recognise cooperatives as strategic peacebuilding partners
“We call on the United Nations and Regional Bodies to engage cooperatives as direct implementation partners in peacebuilding, recovery, and economic development
“We call on all States to uphold the rule of law, honour their commitments under international law and the UN Charter, resolve disputes peacefully, and reject impunity.
During the Global Conference week, the ICA hosted its 2026 in-person General Assembly, where Dr Ariel Guarco was elected unopposed as President, and 15 At-large Directors were elected from 24 candidates, including 7 returning directors and 8 who are new to the ICA Board. They join the four Vice Presidents representing the ICA regions, eight representatives of the global sectoral organisations, one youth representative, and the Chair of the Gender Equality Committee. Delegates were also consulted on a proposed overhaul of the ICA’s membership offer. Members tasked the incoming board with continuing to develop a new formula for calculating membership fees and voting rights.
At the conference, Cooperatives were underlined as key partners for the United Nations to advance its 2030 sustainability agenda in a report demonstrating how the model actively progresses each of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Delegates heard keynotes from a number of distinguished guests and participated in breakout sessions exploring the ICA’s 2026-2030 strategy, Practice, Promote, Protect. Reports on all sessions will be coming soon.
Speaking on the final day of the conference, Dr Guarco said: “If the cooperative movement was a country, we would be the largest in the world. If the cooperative movement was an economy, we would be the largest in the world. If it were a language, it would be the most widely spoken in the world. We need a more equal, inclusive and peaceful world. We know how to do it and we have the tools, so let’s work together for this better world that I’m sure we all want and that we all deserve.”
Notes to Editors
Download the Full Panama Declaration here.
The pictures will be available soon here.
Visit the conference website at: icapanama2026.coop.
About the International Cooperative Alliance
The International Cooperative Alliance unites, represents, and serves cooperatives worldwide. Founded in 1895, it is one of the oldest non-governmental organisations and one of the largest ones measured by the number of people represented: 1 billion cooperative members on the planet. It is the apex body representing cooperatives, which are estimated to be around 3 million worldwide, providing a global voice and forum for knowledge, expertise and co-ordinated action for and about cooperatives.
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