Welcome to FIDIC 2002 Acapulco

Since the beginning of the 21st century it has become clear that most of the world's growth potential for future development will be seen in the emerging economies and that progress in the developing world is a fundamental component to attain a solid globalisation process. In this view, consulting firms are being called upon to seek out ways to protect and enhance the natural and social environment as well as to play a fundamental role in project delivery systems.

Consultants who have expanded the skills and knowledge base of their firms will meet these challenges; however, where government support for growing knowledge-based industries is not strong, inefficiencies in procurement and project delivery are present, technology transfer is poor or where corruption has become a market barrier and hinders a leveled playing field for business, the consulting industry is found in its initial stages. Therefore, capacity building is a must for the emerging economies as well as a strategic factor for the developed world.

During the last fifteen years FIDIC has evolved into a truly international body representing not only the developed countries but also those emerging and developing economies where more than three quarters of the Federation's Member Associations are located; thus FIDIC's interest in local capacity building.

Since the mid-90's there has been an increasing awareness not only of the perverse nature of corruption, but also of the fact that it is an extremely harmful obstacle for development. Hence, on a separate but interrelated topic, FIDIC has acknowledged the fight against corruption as a crucial component in building consulting capacity.

To address those challenges FIDIC established a "Capacity Building Task Force" and an "Integrity Management Task Force" which later evolved into a "Joint Working Group on Integrity" with the support of the World Bank, the Interamerican Development Bank and the Pan-American Federation of Consultants.

The Conference has been organized as an international forum to discuss business integrity and capacity building proposals and to elaborate an action plan whose implementation will need a significant participation of governments, Member Associations, International Financing Institutions, private clients, individual member firms and FIDIC.

The FIDIC 2002 Annual Conference, "Integrity and Capacity Building for Development", will take place at the "Fairmont Princess Hotel" in Acapulco, Mexico, from September 29 to October 2, 2002 hosted by the Cámara Nacional de Empresas de Consultoría de México (CNEC), FIDIC¹s Mexican Member Association.

This preview provides an overview of what is scheduled for the FIDIC 2002 Conference. The registration brochure with detailed program information will be mailed in early April when online registration will be available. Mark your calendars for September 29 to October 2, 2002. We look forward to welcoming you as our guests in Mexico.