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This document has been made available in electronic format
by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
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April, 1997
(Source: ICA News, Issue No.1/1997, pp. 3)


				    News from the Regions
				    *******************


Asia and the Pacific
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Fourth Co-operative Ministers' Conference
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Ministers, government officials and co-op leaders from 21 countries 
participated in the ICA's fourth Co-operative Ministers' and Leaders' 
Conference in Chiangmai, Thailand, from 19-22 March. The meeting 
reviewed progress  on amending co-op legislation and policy in the 
region, and set objectives for further improvement. During the meeting 
of the regional Executive Committee, Yang Deshou of China was nominated 
as the region's candidate for election as ICA Vice-President at the General 
Assembly. B.S. Vishwanathan of India was elected chairman of the region's 
Executive Committee.


The Americas
************

Argentina Hosts International Seminar 
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In November 1996, the ICA Buenos Aires Project Office and the Instituto 
Provincial de Accion Cooperativa, Argentina, jointly organised an International 
Seminar on the "Argentine and Canadian Co-operative and Public Banking 
Sector: its Articulation with  Production".

The seminar, which was sponsored by the Confederaci-n de la Republica de 
Argentina and the Canadian Co-operative Association, attracted  delegates 
from Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay as well as the ICA Banking 
Committee for Latin America, CCA International Business Network, and the 
Credit Union Central of Canada.

One of the results was the signing of an agreement between CCA and the 
Argentine co-operative banks, Banco Mayo and Banco Credit Coop, to develop 
reciprocal commercial and technical missions aimed at creating binational import/
export enterprises.


Africa
******

ICA Housing To Meet In Uganda
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After the successful presentation of the achievements of co-operative housing 
by the Chairman of ICA Housing, Rolf Trodin, during the HABITAT II 
conference in Istanbul, ICA Housing has decided to continue with regional 
HABITAT-conferences. These are excellent occasions to show how co-operative 
housing can contribute to solutions of housing misery and shortage.

On the occasion of the ICA Board meeting, there will be a housing seminar 
on 17 - 18 April 1997 in Kampala, to discuss political preconditions, the legal 
framework, economic and social aspects as well as the financing of housing 
co-operatives.

The Ugandan Government should be motivated to introduce co-operative housing 
in the country through the promotion of the housing co-operative foundations, 
and the introduction of favourable conditions for land and infrastructure, as well 
as access to credit.

Successful examples from other African countries can help to illustrate why 
co-operative housing is a good solution to the problems of sub-standard and 
slum housing or homelessness.  Fulfilling the preconditions  for the establishment 
of co-operative housing is an important task. The Kampala seminar will be a 
contribution to a more transparent policy.

(Source: C. Hachmann, GDW, 20 March, 1997)


Europe
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CICOPA Meeting In Budapest
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A meeting of CICOPA was held in Budapest in October 1996. The proceedings 
were opened by the ICA President, Graham Melmoth, with a moment of silence 
in tribute to Yves Regis, who had led the organisation so dynamically until his 
death in September 1996.

Marian Rybar of Slovakia was unanimously elected as Interim-President until 
the 1997 General Assembly and the ICA Director-General, Bruce Thordarson 
agreed that Arsenio Invernizzi  from the ICA Secretariat would be designated 
as Interim Secretary. Jean-Marie Courtois from France was co-opted as 
member of the Executive and  Pierre Guiard-Schmid, also from France, was 
mandated to coordinate the CICOPA Development Programme.