FIG President Professor Dr.-Ing. Holger Magel
visits Morocco and FIG member ONIGT
Morocco, 9–17 September 2006
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The Mayor of Rabat (1. f. r.) with ONIGT President
Aziz Hilali, Ex-Minister Essaîd Ameskane and President
Magel. |
Following an invitation of ONIGT already from the last year to attend the
founding assembly of the Francophone Group of Surveyors in Rabat in November
2005 (which he could not realize because he was already committed to give a
keynote speech to the SEASC 2005 in Brunei Darussalam), FIG President Magel
has visited Morocco and the headquarters and regional offices of
FIG member association ONIGT in Rabat and Casablanca from 9 to 17 September.
Topic no. 1 was the application of ONIGT in terms of organizing the
working week 2011 in Marrakech and the assessment of frame conditions and
the cooperation conditions between FIG and ONIGT. Highlight of the meeting
with the national council of ONIGT was the signing of the agreement of
responsibilities and cooperation conditions between FIG and ONIGT in case of
a positive decision of the General Assembly in Munich on 13 October. This
agreement had to be signed by all four candidates for WW 2011 and is a clear
signal to the voting delegates of General Assembly that the four candidates,
Morocco, Italy, Puerto Rico and Nigeria are willing and able to follow the
rules of FIG in order to organize excellent and successful events.
During his visit, Prof. Magel had meetings with the Mayor of Marrakech
and Senator Omar El Jazouli who confirmed strong support of ONIGT’s
candidacy for WW 2001 in his unique city. Also, the Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development, Mohand Laenser, and the Minister of Habitat
and Urban Development, Ahmed Taoufiq Hejira, who already attended the
Regional Conference 2003 in Marrakech, expressed their hope and will to
support the WW 2011 if the voting at the General Assembly would be positive.
President Magel was impressed by this uniform attitude of Moroccan
government, state authorities and cities. Even the mayors of Rabat, Dr. Omar El Bahraoui, and Casablanca,
Mohamed Sajid, expressed their
high appreciation of surveyors contributions to better living conditions in
the urban centres and their hope, that a WW 2011 in Marrakech could
demonstrate the high standard and socio-political commitment and
contributions of Moroccan ingénieurs géomètres topographes and surveyors.
Magel thanked ONIGT and its President Aziz Hilali, who is also Vice
President of Arab Union of Surveyors (AUS) and Francophone Group of
Surveyors for the candidacy which demonstrates that FIG members like ONIGT
are very vital and willing to actively shaping the future of FIG. Big thanks
go also to the competitors from Italy (CNG), Nigeria (NIS) and Puerto Rico
(CIAPR). As only one member can be the winner on 13 October, Magel reminded
ONIGT representatives that there will remain new chances in the years after
2011. In any case: A very strong ONIGT delegation can be expected at FIG
Congress in Munich.
On invitation of FIG academic member the Institut Agronomique et
Vétérinaire Hassan II, Prof. Magel gave a lecture about the “Challenges
and chances for the profession of surveyors” on 15 September. Once again
Magel expressed the need to better attract and integrate students and young
professionals in the activities and delegations of FIG and FIG members.
Answering to geodetic students’ questions of this famous university, Magel
encouraged ONIGT president and university institutes to give grants to
students for attending FIG conferences. With regard to university education,
Magel requested very comprehensive curricula covering items and disciplines
which exceed traditional surveying disciplines.
Against the background of the challenges in urban and rural areas which
Morocco is facing in present and future and which Magel could partly study
in discussions with mayors and experts during his four-day technical tour
through the country, surveyors’ education should focus on urban and rural
planning, development and land administration and management based on a
sound education in the GIS field and on soft skills like rhetoric and
presentation skills, ability to conflict resolution and to communicate with
politicians, decision makers and citizens!
Surveyors should never end – according to FIG President Magel – to
convince and to push politics and society to bridge the gap between the
rural and urban world like it is formulated in the FIG Marrakech Declaration
on urban-rural interrelationship for sustainable development (see
FIG
publication Nr. 33 in
English
and
Arabic).
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