Dear colleagues and friends,

In recent days, a large majority of our member countries have been faced with very strict measures to stem the rapid spread of the COVID 19 virus. This dramatic situation has upset the world economy, but above all the lives of several billion people on our planet. You are all concerned by what is happening, both personally and professionally.

Our Association has always worked in a spirit of healthy collaboration to help each other with our knowledge and best practices. Of course, we have no medical expertise, but we have the good fortune to know each other through the work we do together.

Let us seize this situation and see it as an opportunity to further strengthen our mutual ties.

PIARC General Secretariat and Technical bodies have identified some possible actions for the short term. The intention is to share knowledge and current practice between PIARC members urgently in order to support responses to the pandemic in near real-time.

With the General Secretariat, we work closely, but remotely, in order to continue the good management of our Association. The current situation is also an opportunity to analyse our operating systems and perhaps consider simplifying some of them so that we will never be blocked by unforeseen events. I hope that all of you can protect yourselves as well as possible and that we will be able to meet again in the future: we will then enjoy even more the bonds that unite us.

Take good care of yourself,

Best regards,

Claude Van Rooten