A new agreement is aimed at helping to raise the standards of sustainability and quality of public infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.
International engineering federation FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Projects and lnfrastructure Centre (ADPIC) to raise the standards of sustainability and quality of public infrastructure in the Emirate through delivering sustainable, high-quality projects aligned with global best practices.
The five-year cooperation agreement between FIDIC and ADPIC will also support the two organisations’ shared goals and objectives with regards to effective procurement, contract management and capacity building.
Under the terms of the agreement, ADPIC, which oversees and manages capital projects aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and FIDIC will collaborate and cooperate across a number of areas to advance their common interests. The following areas of collaboration are likely to be covered by the MoU.
- Cooperation to increase the institutional potential of Abu Dhabi regarding the development of infrastructure projects.
- Development of recommendations, guidelines and manuals on implementing infrastructure projects in Abu-Dhabi in compliance with FIDIC’s Golden Principles.
- Developing and conducting training, seminars, training courses, etc among the construction industry representatives (contracting organisations) to prepare for the implementation of FIDIC principles and standards in Abu Dhabi.
- FIDIC certification of specialists in Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure industry according to the areas of activity (such as consulting engineers, project managers, adjudicators, etc).
- Capacity building of individuals who are skilled and highly experienced in dispute resolution and adjudication of construction contracts, in particular, the FIDIC Dispute Board Rules and dispute boards.
- Cooperation in the increased utilisation of dispute boards and dispute avoidance and resolution in Abu Dhabi projects.
- Cooperating with each other to explore the opportunity to host FIDIC events in the region, including the FIDIC Contract Users’ Conference, FIDIC Dispute Avoidance Forum and/or FIDIC Contract Management Forum.

The five-year agreement was signed following discussions between FIDIC and ADPIC and a recent period of close working between the two organisations. Commenting on the signing of the MoU, FIDIC president Catherine Karakatsanis said: “We are delighted to have signed this agreement with the Abu Dhabi Projects and lnfrastructure Centre and to be working in collaboration with them over the next five years. This is great news for FIDIC and also the construction sector in Abu Dhabi and we look forward to working closely with ADPIC and their stakeholders over the coming months and years.”