FIDIC has signed a major strategic collaboration agreement with the International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors Associations (IFAWPCA), an umbrella organisation with members in Asia and the Western Pacific region, which will see the two organisations working more closely together and collaborating on matters of mutual interest over the next two years.  

FIDIC and IFAWPCA have signed a memorandum of understanding agreement for two years to collaborate in a number of areas, the highlights of which are outlined below.

• Establish a resources-sharing framework to set up an information dissemination platform for each other and exchange information including publications, research reports, market dynamics information and business knowledge.
• Pool each organisation’s respective professional resources to jointly carry out or support each other’s professional research.
• Jointly explore the application of FIDIC Contracts and the FIDIC Golden Principles for major infrastructure projects funded by International Financial Institutions in the region and develop standard templates for documents to support their use on the projects.
• IFAWPCA members will encourage Asian and Western Pacific contractors to use FIDIC’s preferred selection method (QBS) and explore its application on internationally funded projects in the region.
• To provide opportunities for discussion and collaboration among Asian and Western Pacific contractors, and between international and local consultants and Asian and Western Pacific contractors on other international projects.

Commenting on the agreement, FIDIC chief executive Dr Nelson Ogunshakin said: I am delighted that FIDIC has signed this landmark agreement with the IFAWPCA and that we will be working closely with them on areas of mutual interest. Our MoU will be a big boost for members of FIDIC and IFAWPCA and those international consulting and engineering firms and contractors that work in the Asia Pacific region and also the wider global construction sector and we are looking forward to working with IFAWPCA over the next two years.”

Commenting on the signing of the agreement, Mohamed Ali Janah, president of IFAWPCA, said: “We are delighted to be establishing this mutual relationship and see it as a great milestone for our organisation. The majority of IFAWPCA already members use FIDIC contracts on infrastructure projects and are familiar with the values and principles of the organisation - principles and values that we share. Working together, FIDIC and IFAWPCA can build a more sustainable industry and help the world to build back better as we recover from the global pandemic and we look forward to strengthening our relationship with FIDIC in the months and years ahead.”