The General Assembly of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations, invited by its national member for Switzerland met in Geneva on September 8 and 9 2011, ending a week devoted to engineering and engineers.
Several events prepared for the General Assembly during the first days of the week:
- The WFEO nine Standing Committees reviewed their activities during the current year and discussed their programmes to be launched next year.
- Several Task Groups discussed matters relating to the Federation and STCs activities.
- The WFEO International Members Forum held its third rountable and shared information with experts from the World Trade Organization and the International Engineering Alliance on engineering mobility and engineering innovations for sustainability in the different regions of the world.
- The WFEO Senior Advisory Body made up of the WFEO past Presidents held its first presidential meeting chaired by PP Ben Jemaa.
- The Executive Council received these reports on September 6 and prepared the recommendations for the General Assembly.
Simultaneously, the World Engineers’ Convention (WEC 2011) was organized from September 4 to 9 under the theme “Engineers Power the World – Facing the Global Energy Challenge” gathering some 2000 experts, participants and representatives from many countries of the world.
The Swiss Minister of Energy Mrs. Leuther, the UNESCO Assistant Director General for Natural Science Mrs Kalonji and the WFEO President Mrs. Maria Prieto Laffargue opened the ceremony.
The WFEO General Assembly was opened by President Maria Prieto Laffargue.
It took in particular the following decisions:
- It approved the Federation’s audited accounts and budgets
- It welcomed five new members: Croatia, Malta, Montenegro, Peru and Serbia.
- It approved the new Constitution
- It accepted the Kuwait Society of Engineers as host of the newly created committee on Young Engineers/Future Leaders and as new host of the committee on Women in Engineering.
- It accepted the Engineering Council of South Africa as new host of the Committee Engineering Capacity Building
- It accepted the American Association of Engineering Societies as the new host of the Committee on Energy
- It confirmed the hosting of the Committee on Engineering for Innovative Technologies by the Institution of Engineers, India for another four year period
- It confirmed the hosting of the Committee on Engineering and the Environment by Engineers Canada for another four year period
- It confirmed the hosting of the Committee on Engineering and Education by the Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut, Lebanon for the period 2011-2015
- It confirmed the hosting of the Committee on Information and Communication for Development by China Association for Science and Technology for another four year period
- It confirmed the hosting of the Committee on Anticorruption by Zimbabwe with Kamel Ayadi as chair
- It elected as President Elect Mr. Marwan Abdelhamid (Palestine) as President Elect
- It elected as Vice Presidents: Haro Bedelian (UK), Tan Seng Chuan (Singapore), Peter Greenwood (Australia) and Konstantinos Alexopoulos (Greece).
- It elected or re-elected 9 representatives of National Members to the Executive Council.
- It accepted with thanks the invitation of the Slovenian Chamber of Engineers to hold the next 2012 Executive Council meeting in Ljubljana.
- It accepted with thanks the invitation of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore to host the 2013 General Assembly
- It acknowledged the award of the WFEO Medal of Engineering Excellence to Mr. Bill Salmon (USA), the Medal of Excellence in Engineering Education to Dr. Miszalski (Poland) and the Hassib Sabbagh Award for Engineering Construction to Mr. Riad Zakhem (USA).
- It also acknowledged the award of the medals for outstanding services to WFEO Past President Barry Grear, Vice Presidents B J Vasoya, Jean Claude Badoux and Jorge Spitalnik.
The activities and projects of the Federation were debated including the involvement of WFEO in Rio+20, United Nations Bodies and Commissions and international organizations and Multilateral Agencies
At the end of the General Assembly, President Maria Prieto Laffargue passed the presidency to Mr. Adel Alkharafi who thanked all participants and called for the co-operation and efforts of all members to help build a stronger and more efficient Federation to the benefit of all engineers.
He presented strategic plan for the two coming years among which his new marketing plan destined to enhance the visibility and recognition of WFEO worldwide, create more cohesion among members and further increase its financial stability.
He then presided the new Executive Council, named his personal advisers and allocated tasks to the various Council members.
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