The Vice President Attends the Opening Ceremony of the 45th IFAWPCA Convention

 
On Wednesday, Vice President Faisal Naseem attended the opening of the 45^th International Federation of Asian & Western Pacific Contractors Associations (IFAWPCA) Convention. This is the first time the convention is hosted in the Maldives and is taking place at Paradise Island Resort for a period of 5 days.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice President stated that the most significant contribution the construction sector can implement in the combat against climate change is to explore and adopt green construction practices. While noting the relevance of this year’s theme ‘Construction with Conservation: Building a Better World’ to the Maldives, the Vice President remarked that despite the construction boom in the past few years, the Maldives is at great vulnerability to climate change and sea level risings due to the world’s lowest terrain.

Moreover, the Vice President also acknowledged the importance of utilizing and recycling materials in construction and urged contractors to build smarter and to incorporate alternative energy sources during construction.

In his address, the Vice President recalled the development and progress of the construction industry of the Maldives and noted the revolutionary transformation brought to residential, corporate and industrial construction. He added that the inception of tourism in the Maldives 50 years ago has led to this great accomplishment and even highlighted the impressive design and construction standards of Maldivian resorts.

He also shed light on local artisans, designers and contractors and commented that the local community is taking great sides together with their international partners. In this regard, he commended the remarkable skills, craftsmanship and innovation reflected in the contemporary concepts seen in resort development today. Furthermore, the Vice President also urged local companies to expand their boundaries and seek prospects to conduct projects abroad as well.

IFAWPCA is an international federation that constitutes 19 member countries from Asia and the Western Pacific region. With the aim of promoting social and economic progress via construction development, the convention plays an instrumental role in developing international fellowship and cooperation. The 45^th convention is special to the Maldives as it is the first time the IFAWPCA is being hosted in the country after the Maldives National Association of Construction Industry (MNACI) joined the federation in 2007.