In line with the global celebrations of World Engineering Day 2025, WFEO Committee on Engineering Capacity Building (WFEO-CECB) hosted the successful symposium “Global North and South Cooperation to Achieve the SDGs Through Engineering” at the Arup Headquarters in London on 11 March 2025. The event was held in collaboration with:
- Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE),
- Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng),
- Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC),
- Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE) UK and Europe Branch,
- Engineering Council of Zimbabwe (ECZ),
- Commonwealth Engineering Council (CEC) and
- Commonwealth Business School (CBS).
The WFEO President, Eng. Mustafa Shehu was the guest of honour. In his keynote speech, the WFEO President expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors for raising the WFEO profile, he particularly appreciated Arup for pre-empting WFEO’s new focus to work closely with the private sector to boost the achievement of the SDGs and other cooperation frameworks and programmes, especially the WFEO Engineering Capacity Building for Africa Programme (ECBAP) to be launched in Kenya.
RAEng’s Head of Sustainable Development Clare Moberly officially handed the Engineers for Africa 2025 book to the WFEO President Engr. Mustafa Shehu and the Chair of WFEO-CECB Eng. Dr Martin Manuhwa
WFEO-CECB Chair Eng. Dr Martin Manuhwa gave a keynote address emphasising the importance of engineering capacity building, Global North-South collaboration, and ethical governance in achieving the SDGs.
The ICE Immediate Past President, Dr. Anusha Shah, officially opened the Symposium and welcomed the participants at Arup and those online to this timely event as she observed that it was time for Engineering organisations to up the game by speaking about global policy issues, not only to themselves but to a broader audience that should include policy makers, general public and also the corporate world.
The same sentiments were echoed by the cofounder of GIACC, Mr. Neill Stansbury, who took us through the role of GIACC and WFEO in promoting the Anti-bribery standard ISO 37001. He stressed the need to adopt anti-bribery policies and systems to reduce the corruption risk in infrastructure projects.
The Presenters at the WFEO-CECB Symposium. From left to right: WFEO-CECB Chair Eng. Dr Martin Manuhwa, ICE Immediate Past President Dr. Anusha Shah, WFEO President Eng. Mustafa Shehu, RAEng representative Anzet du Plessis, Neill Stansbury is Co-founder and Director of GIACC Neill Stansbury, ZIE UK and Europe Branch Chair Eng. Fred Mukonoweshuro and Chairman of the Commonwealth Buisiness school Dr Clive Kinder
The RAEng representative Anzet du Plessis, unpacked their book Engineers for Africa 2025 which will be officially launched at the Africa Engineering Week in Kampala, Uganda, in September this year. Earlier in the day, at the RAEng Head Office, Clare Moberly officially handed over the Engineers for Africa 2025 book to the WFEO President, Engr. Mustafa Shehu. Eng.
Fred Mukonoweshuro, the ZIE UK and Europe Branch chair, emphasised the role of diaspora engineering collaboration in accelerating the SDG’s progress in Africa. The hosts of the WFEO-CECB Committee, led by ZIE President Eng. Dr. Farai Mavhiya and ECZ CEO Eng. Dr. Rafemoyo hailed the Symposium for exceeding its objectives and urged the committee to implement the resolutions.
The ZIE CEO Eng. Dr. Sanzan Diarra gave a brief background of the benefits of global collaboration and that he wished Eng. Dr Martin Manuhwa and his WFEO-CECB team to carry out more such events in every continent.
From left to right: Eng. Dr Martin Manuhwa, Anzet du Plessis and Eng. Fred Mukonoweshuro at the WFEO-CECB Symposium at Arup HQ in London on 11 March 2025
Report by Eng. Dr Martin Manuhwa, Chair of the WFEO Committee on Engineering Capacity Building (CECB)
For more information:
“Global North and South Cooperation to Achieve the SDGs Through Engineering” Concept Note
WFEO Engineering Capacity Building for Africa Programme (ECBAP) launching in Kenya on 17 March 2025
World Engineering Day 2025 main event in UNESCO HQ
MAR
2025