News in 2013

FIG General Assembly 2013

FIG 26th General Assembly welcomed two New Member Associations

Abuja, Nigeria, 6 and 10 May 2013


FIG General Assembly with delegates and many interested observers from Nigeria

FIG General Assembly 2013 was held during the Working Week in Abuja, Nigeria. In total 40 different member associations were present at the two sessions of the General Assembly and approximately 400 delegates attended the General Assembly sessions. The first session was attended by 37 member associations and the second by 38. The participants represented all membership categories as well as observers of which many were Nigerians who followed the General Assembly with great interest.

The main items on this years agenda were the approval of two new member associations, and the postponement of the bid for the venue for the 2017 Working Week as the FIG Council and Office have been working on a revision in the concept of the administration of future FIG annual events.

The highlight was the appointment of FIG Director Markku Villikka as Honorary Member. Markku Villikka  has been active in FIG for more than 25 years and was accorded with a standing ovation from delegates and observers. Since 1999 Markku Villikka has worked as Director and has developed the FIG Office to what it is today. He will, unfortunately, leave his post of FIG Director on 31 July 2013 due to his health.

This General Assembly was the first for the new Vice President Dr. Pengfei Cheng from CSGPC, China. Unfortunately, the other new Vice President Bruno Razza from CNGeGL, Italy was not able to attend this General Assembly.

The General Assembly admitted one new member association: Association des Professionels de l'Ingenierie Topographique du Gabon, APIT Gabon and welcomed Gabon amongst member countries.  Furthermore it was a pleasure to welcome back Bahamas Association of Land Surveyors (BALS) who has re-joined as member. The number of member association is now 103 representing 87 countries after the Society of Chartered Surveyors, Ireland (due to a merger with RICS, UK) and The Appraisal Institute, United States have terminated their membership, and member associations from Albania and Algeria were expelled for non payment of membership dues for three consecutive years.

The General Assembly was informed of the admittance of the membership of one new corporate member: ISQ Portugal.  Grontmij nv, The Netherlands, AED-SICAD Aktiengesellschaft, Germany, and Mason Land Surveys have terminated their membership, and IGN France International, France as well as Hi-Target Survey Instrument CO, China were expelled as members, again due to non payment of membership dues. The number of corporate members is now 21.

The General Assembly was further informed that the national agency Consejo Federal de Catastro de la Republica Argentina (C.F.C) has become an affiliate member together with six new academic members: University of Stuttgart, Germany, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, Rovaniemi University of Applied Siences, Finland, Lebanese International University, LIU, Lebanon, INES-Ruhengeri, Rwanda, and Ecole Nationale du Cadastre et des Sciences Geographique, ENCSG, Gabon. The number of affiliate member is now 41 and there are altogether 92 academic members.

All FIG Commissions, Task Forces, Networks and Permanent Institutions as well as FIG Foundations reported their activities and progress in the past year. During the Working Week all Commissions and Task Forces met to evaluate and further their work plan.

The General Assembly further decided on the membership fees for 2015 to be the same as in 2014 that is 4.48 EUR per member up to 5,500 members or a maximum of 25,000 EUR and the finances and budget were accepted. The surplus from 2012 was 29,921 EUR.

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Impressions from the General Assembly... look for more pictures in the picture gallery
FIG Council - from left Vice President Rudolf Staiger, Germany President CheeHai Teo, Malaysia Vice President Chryssy Potsiou, Greece, and Vice President Pengfei Cheng, China. Vice President Bruno Razza, Italy was not able to participate.

Stephen Olubode Adeaga, President of NIS handing over the FIG Flag to Mohammad Azmi Mohd Zin, President of Association of Authorised Land Surveyors Malaysia.
VP for International affairs Gene Amako, Secretary General of NIS Olumide Adewebi  and Admin. Secretary of NIS and Conference Coordinator of FIG 2013 Olatunde O. Adejanyu receive a well deserved applause from the audience

21 June 2013