The First African Cooperative Housing Training Program took place in New Cairo during the Fourth International Conference of Cooperative Housing hosted by the General Authority for Construction and Housing Cooperatives (CHC) from October 16 to 19. It brought together young cooperative leaders from Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt in a series of courses addressing cooperative leadership and management.  High Chief Ayeola Tajudeen Oriyomi, President of ICA Africa, couldn’t have said it better, “It’s important for the youth to transmit this knowledge back to people in their respective cooperatives back home, not just for the organizations but for their conscience.”

Agenda 2063

Dr. Sifa Chiyoge, Regional Director of ICA Africa, spoke about how the youth of Africa are its biggest asset. Africa is the continent with the youngest population worldwide. As of 2021, around 40 percent of the population is aged 15 years and younger, which is both a challenge and an asset. This is why addressing the agenda 2063 is so pertinent to the youth of Africa. Adopted in May 2013, Agenda 2063 is Africa’s 50-year sustainable development blueprint and strategic framework for the African continent. The agenda envisions an integrated prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its citizens and people-based enterprises like cooperatives. With an ideal enabling environment and support from the government, cooperatives can play a vital role in achieving a prosperous Africa.

Dr. Cheyoge also added that the path to development does not exist without decent housing. This training program is a great opportunity to take back this knowledge and grow the movement and contribute to the success of future cooperative housing leaders.

Special thanks go out to CHC, Dr. Hassam Rizk, and Mr. Nabil El-Bishbishi for initiating this training program. Thanks also go out to Linda Brockway, Christian Bengtzelius, Florence Assen à Ngam, CHI board members, and Julie LaPalme, Secretary General of CHI, who provided training and presented at the conference.

13th Africa Ministerial Cooperative Conference (AMCCO)

New Cairo was also hosting the 13th Africa Ministerial Cooperative Conference (AMCCO). The theme of the conference was Growing Africa Together: The role of African Cooperatives in Accelerating Sustainable Development Goals (2030) and Africa We Want (Agenda 2063).

The conference participants witnessed the launch of the Africa Cooperative Development Strategy. Affordable housing is reflected in the sub-theme titled “Cooperating among cooperatives”: An integrated socio-economic development model. The goal is to share best practices and experiences in developing innovative construction systems and low-cost housing construction through “cooperation among cooperatives.”

Click here to read the Africa Cooperative Development Strategy.