29 Nov 2019 | Air pollution solutions

Draft FABKA roadmap highlights future as an independent legal entity

Following the ratification of the Constitution of the Federation of Asian Brick Kiln Associations (FABKA) by brick kiln association presidents of member countries in June 2019, a FABKA Secretariat was established in Kathmandu in October 2019. This formal institutionalization enables this important body to efficiently operate as a collective platform for brick makers in South Asia to share and exchange knowledge, technologies, and good practices related to the brick industry.

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Inauguration of the newly established FABKA secretariat in Kathmandu. ICIMOD, 2019.

Also in October 2019, members conducted the 4th FABKA meeting in Pokhara where, following rigorous discussions, a roadmap was developed and endorsed by FABKA. At the event Bidya Banmali Pradhan, Project Coordinator of the Bricks Initiative at ICIMOD welcomed the brick association delegates from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan and noted that the roadmap will serve as a guiding strategic document for executing FABKA’s future plans. FABKA President, Mahendra B. Chitrakar stressed the importance of the FABKA platform for effectively sharing and exchanging policy matters, and for continued sector innovation and advancement.

The roadmap is a crucial step for the future of the representative body, and has implications for the sustainable growth of the industry across south Asia. A major aspect of the draft roadmap is that it highlights FABKA’s future as an independent legal entity. Along with establishing FABKA, ICIMOD is working with stakeholders to catalyze a cleaner brick industry in south Asia through trainings, exposure visits and technology transfer. FABKA was established in 2018 with representation from brick associations of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan: Federation of Nepal Brick Industries (FNBI), All India Brick and Tile Manufacturers Federation (AIBTMF), Bangladesh Brick Manufacturing Owners Association (BBMOA), and Brick Kiln Owners’ Association of Pakistan (BKOAP). It aims to promote the exchange of knowledge, technologies, and good practices; enhance cooperation; engage in policy advocacy; and foster collaboration with related stakeholders in the South Asian region.

The brick sector can help countries achieve their mitigation goals, address air pollution, and reduce local impacts while significantly contributing to reduce global warming. Photo: ICIMOD