PANAMA CITY, September 17, 2026 — The International Cooperative Alliance [ICA] has called for cooperatives worldwide to take a more active role in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and post-conflict recovery, arguing that cooperative enterprises can help address economic and social conditions that contribute to instability.
The call is contained in the Panama Declaration, adopted by participants and representatives of the global cooperative movement at the ICA Global Cooperative Conference in Panama City on September 17, 2026.
The declaration, titled “Building Bridges: Cooperative Contributions for a Peaceful World,” says cooperatives can contribute to peace by expanding economic participation and ownership, creating livelihoods, strengthening social inclusion and building resilient communities.
The ICA said global conflicts, climate change, poverty, inequality, displacement and the weakening of democratic institutions have created growing challenges to peace and development.
It also raised concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, particularly questions surrounding control of the technologies, distribution of their benefits, their environmental costs and potential effects on employment and livelihoods.
The declaration defines positive peace as more than the absence of war, saying it requires societies in which people can live with dignity, justice, equality, security and opportunity, while differences are addressed through dialogue.
It identifies poverty, inequality, exclusion, discrimination, weak institutions, human rights violations, political and economic marginalisation and environmental pressures as among the structural conditions that can allow conflict to emerge and persist.
According to the ICA, cooperatives are positioned to address some of these conditions through their member-owned and democratic structures.
The declaration says the cooperative model can generate employment and livelihoods, promote economic empowerment and inclusion, strengthen social cohesion, provide essential goods and services and support communities during crises and recovery.
Calls for government support
The ICA is also calling on governments to recognise cooperatives as strategic partners in peacebuilding and development.
It wants governments to provide supportive cooperative legislation, access to finance and markets, decent work and social protection, investment in local economies, and opportunities for cooperatives to participate in relevant public programmes.
The declaration further calls for cooperatives to be included, where appropriate, in conflict-prevention, recovery and reconstruction strategies.
The ICA is similarly calling on the United Nations and international and regional institutions to involve cooperatives in peacebuilding, sustainable development and recovery programmes, including initiatives covering livelihoods, food security and economic resilience.
Push for a “peace economy”
The declaration commits the cooperative movement to developing what it describes as a “peace economy” — an economic system that addresses conditions contributing to conflict while promoting dignified livelihoods, inclusion and sustainable development.
The ICA says the approach should focus on reducing inequality, expanding participation in economic and public life, strengthening local economies, improving early-warning and conflict-prevention mechanisms, and building institutions capable of resolving disputes and ensuring accountability.
The movement also plans to document cooperative contributions to peace, measure their impact and use evidence to influence policy and investment.
Among the proposed actions are increasing the number of cooperatives involved in peacebuilding and recovery, strengthening partnerships with governments and peacebuilding organisations, increasing investment in cooperative and local economies, and developing practical tools for cooperatives operating in fragile and crisis-affected areas.
The declaration also sets a broader growth target for the cooperative economy, with the ICA saying it will work towards doubling its size by 2035 while expanding its economic, social and environmental impact.
The ICA concluded the declaration by calling for action to address the roots of conflict before they escalate into violence, build economies that promote dignity and inclusion, resolve differences through dialogue and uphold the rule of law and international obligations.
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