The 71st International Executive Council (IEC) Meeting of the International Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) was organized on line by ICID Central Office against the COVID-19 backdrop.
The meeting was held in two sessions on December 7th and 8th, 2020, to deliberate upon important issues concerning ICID’s past and future work. Mr. Chen Mingzhong, CNCID President and Director General of the Department of Rural Water and Hydropower of the Ministry of Water Resources of China (MWR), Dr. Kuang Shangfu, President of IWHR, and Dr. Peng Jing, Vice President of IWHR, joined the meeting.
The IWHR offline venue
ICID President delivering a welcome speech
The session held on December 7th took decisions based reviewed the outcomes and recommendations of the work bodies and permanent committees through the Permanent Committee Chairs’reports on finance, strategy, organization, and technical matters. On the second session held on December 8th, decisions were made regarding the rescheduling of future ICID events, and ICID awards were announced, World Heritage Irrigation Structures recognized, and the election results of ICID new office bearers (2020-2023) declared.
IWHR Vice President Dr. Peng Jing briefed the 4th World Irrigation Forum’s preparation progress. Co-hosted by ICID, MWR and CNCID, organized by IWHR, the 4th WIF will be held in Beijing in 2023. Prof. Ding Kunlun, Chair of the ICID Permanent Committee for Technical Activities, reported the committee’s work over the last year.
Prof. Dr. Ragab Ragab from UK was elected as the new President of the organization. The three new elected vice presidents are from South Korea, Malaysia, and Iraq.
Fourteen irrigation structures were recognized by ICID as the 2020 World Heritage Irrigation Structures. Among those recognized structures, four projects are from China, including Tianbao Weir, Longshou Canal and Ancient Luohe River Irrigation District, 36 Weirs of Baishaxi Stream, and Sangyuanwei Polder Embankment System.
China Central Television (CCTV), Xinhua News Agency, and other domestic media reported the meeting.
