Echoes from our 8th General Assembly

Almost a month has passed since WCCE held its 8th General Assembly from 10-13 October in Santiago de Cuba. As you may know, UNAICC hosted our 8th General Assembly on the occasion of an international workshop on Tourism & City. The attendance to WCCE activities by our Cuban counterparts and WCCE delegates was very high and enriched our activities with their expertise.

Coming back to our General Assembly, several issues were addressed and the final agreements of such meeting are as follows: 

• New members joined WCCE: Association of Maldivian Engineers, Aqualogy, and SAFEO (South African Federation of Engineering Organizations) and Ordem dos Engenheiros. I take this opportunity to extend my warmest gratitude to our new members and for the interest expressed in joining our organization. It is our intention to cover your expectations in joining WCCE
• During the Assembly, the Continental representatives of Europe, Africa and America were renewed, being elected Cristina Machado, from Portugal's Ordem dos Engenheiros, Wingfield Vengesai, from the Engineering Council of Zimbabwe, and Alfonso González from Mexico's FECIC (Federación de Colegios de Ingeniería Civil de la República Mexicana). I would like to congratulate the former members for its contribution during their mandate, and our new members for their election and for their commitment that will permit our organization to develop successfully.

	Cristina Machado, Portugal Representative for Europe	Wingfield Vengesai,Zimbabwe Representative for Africa	Alfonso González, Mexico Representative for the Americas

• The creation of the Standing Committee of Coastal and Oceanic Engineering, hosted by Mexico and chaired by Mr Mauricio Porraz, has been confirmed together with the extension for a new period, of the Standing Committee and Capacity Building by Zimbabwe and chaired by Mr Martin Manuhwa.

		Mauricio Porraz, Mexico Chairman Standing Committee of Coastal and Oceanic Engineering

• The General Assembly has agreed to empower the Executive Board to open a nominations process for the office of President Elect. The General Assembly also relinquished its election capacity to the Executive Committee on the mandate that the President Elect will be appointed no further than June 2014. This decision's objective is to appoint the President Elects office as it is presently vacant.
• Ordem dos Engenheiros will host our General Assembly in Lisbon in November 2014.