CCA Attends 42nd Ifawpca Summit

• 10 July 2016
• Association Focus
• 693 Views

Six representatives from the Cambodia Constructors Association (CCA) attended the 42nd Convention of the International Federation of Asia and Western Pacific Constructors Association (IFAWPCA) that represents constructors in Asia and the Western Pacific region.

Convened in Tokyo from 16-19 November 2015 under the theme “Partnership and Sustainability—the new frontier for construction business”, the conference was co-organised by the Overseas Constructors Association of Japan, Inc (OCAJI) and IFAWPCA.

According to IFAWPCA website, the convention discussed the role of the construction industry in regional and global development given that construction businesses are expanding worldwide and have become one of the world’s major economic engines.

To drive economic growth in each country and region as well as worldwide, the construction industry associations belonging to IFAWPCA utilised this 42nd convention as an opportunity to discuss in detail the industry\’s responses to the current issues and its future direction, while building greater mutual understanding and cooperation.

They also explored the creation of sustainable societies characterised by new business development in cooperation with various organisations, maintaining the global environment and disaster response capabilities, continuing efforts to open up new frontiers for construction business, and strengthening the role of the construction industry.

To further advance the economic and social effects on global and regional communities, the participants also agreed on the need to engage the industry in comprehensive and inclusive business development by cooperating with other industries, going beyond conventional business activities and getting involved in projects from the planning stage so that it can take part in the whole process of forming them.

As the world is facing increasingly serious disasters, the convention also initiated the advanced development of construction business for sustainability, referring to new constructions for global environmental conservation and disaster prevention.

Given that countries and regions in the Asia-Oceania region are also subject to natural phenomena such as windstorms, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, they determined that the construction industry has a duty to utilise environmental technology to create sustainable societies.

Mr. Toru Shiraishi, the IFAWPCA President and also OCAJI President, said the burdens from natural disasters and accidents as well as climate changes globally have greatly impacted mankind which imposes a pressing need for better measures for disaster prevention and damage mitigations.

“To keep our living environment, we should try to fight against the problems of global warming,” he said, adding that, “The construction industry is at the forefront to be able to cope with the problems and to realise environmentally friendly and sustainable development.”

Countries and regions participating in the convention also shared their knowledge on the pressing issues facing the construction industry in order to set the future direction for specific solutions to these problems as well as the industry’s ongoing development.

The convention also explored new frontiers for the construction business that extend beyond the regions represented by participating organisations to achieve sustainability through worldwide cooperation.

Representing the CCA Chairman, Mr. Charles Vann confirmed that the CCA, with over 100 members, enrolled as IFAWPCA’s 16th member last year and is now ready to amicably cooperate with the rest of the group members. He also appealed to all IFAWPCA members to consider investing in Cambodia.

“…The business cooperation among the members of IFAWPCA will provide many benefits to Cambodia, he said. “Moreover, I hope that the cooperation on various business affairs between the members of IFAWPCA and Cambodia will go smoothly and fruitfully”.