CHI Conference

Growing Cooperative Housing: Connecting Practice, Communities & Cooperation

Cooperative housing is gaining renewed attention globally as countries seek sustainable, inclusive and resilient housing solutions. While some regions benefit from long-standing cooperative housing systems, others are exploring and developing new models in response to evolving housing needs and market pressures.

At the same time, the global cooperative movement offers a unique platform to connect experiences across regions, enabling mutual learning and collaboration.

In this context, Cooperative Housing International (CHI) is organising a dedicated housing session during the ICA Global Conference in Panama City on Thursday, 17 September 2026, from 15:00 to 17:00, bringing together diverse perspectives on the development of cooperative housing.

The session will explore how housing cooperatives contribute to affordable and inclusive communities, and how experiences from different regions can inspire future action. It will bring together cooperative housing leaders, public authorities and institutional stakeholders to exchange experiences and discuss how cooperative housing ecosystems can be strengthened through supportive policy, capacity-building, governance and responsible management.

CHI is working closely with regional and local partners to shape the programme and ensure it reflects housing priorities in Panama, Latin America and the wider cooperative movement. The event builds on recent discussions with Panamanian public authorities, including Jaime Antonio Jované Castillo, Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning, Frank Osorio Abadía, Vice Minister, and Antonio Boyd, Director of the Housing Savings Fund / FONDHABI. Their engagement reflects a strong interest in connecting Panama’s housing priorities with cooperative experience from Latin America and the wider international movement.

Speakers

Bringing the Panamanian institutional perspective:

• Ing. Jaime Jované, Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning, Government of Panama
• Lic. Antonio Boyd Macia, Executive Director, Housing Saving Fund
• Lic. Boris Allara, Deputy Executive Director, National Institute for the Promotion of Cooperatives (IPACOOP), Panama

Bringing perspectives from the international cooperative housing movement:

• Mike Duru, President, Zimbabwe National Association of Housing Cooperatives — ZINAHCO, Zimbabwe
• Datuk Mohamed Ali Bin-Hasan, Vice-President, Angkasa, Malaysia
• Blase Lambert, Chief Officer of the Confederation of Co-operative Housing (CCH), United Kingdom
• Mauricio De La Barra, General Manager, Conavicoop, Chile

Through keynote contributions, international examples and a moderated exchange, the session will explore what it takes to move cooperative housing from ambition to implementation: what enabling conditions are needed, what barriers remain, and what different countries and regions can learn from one another.

The event will be open to both in-person and online participants and will offer an opportunity to exchange experiences, identify common challenges and strengthen international cooperation around cooperative housing.

Programme highlights

• Opening remarks and welcome
• Government and regional perspectives on housing and cooperation
• Cooperative housing experiences from Zimbabwe, Malaysia and Chile
• Moderated discussion on building cooperative housing ecosystems
• Closing reflections and next steps

📆 17 September

🕑 15:00-17:30 EST

📍Panama Convention Center / Online

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