Rimini., Italy October 23rd, 2010.

UFTAA held its 2010 Annual General Assembly (AGA) and an Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) in Rimini this week. Meetings were hosted by TTG-Italia on the occasion of its 47^th TTG Incontri Fair.

In addition to dealing with the routine business of the federation, the assembly devoted a significant amount of time to seeking to define better ways to serve the UFTAA membership. To that end it tracked progress of activities initiated at its November 2009 Kathmandu AGA, particularly with respect to developing a firm commercial operating base. Notably, it studied the suggestions contained in an outline three-year-plan also developed at the request of the previous AGA.

Following the above review and taking account of different members’ proposals on alternative ways for the federation to work in the future, an ad hoc “Strategic Planning Committee” (SPC) was tasked to bring the above strands together by conducting an in- depth critical review of them and of other ideas. Tight time constraints were set. In consequence, it is envisaged that the first fruits of the SPC’s work will be reviewed by the Board in early 2011, with parts of it implemented in short order.

The above work will be carried out under the oversight of the newly elected Board of Directors consisting (in alphabetical order) of Anwar Al Ashtal, Mario Bevacqua, Bruce Bishins, Paula Cortes Calle, Dato Khalid Harun, Richard Lohento, Patrick Mwale, Rajinder Rai, Mohammed Raoui, Nelly Sandalska and Burmaa Ukhnai.

In stepping down from the presidency of UFTAA and chairmanship of the Board, William Tan congratulated the AGA on its open-mindedness towards the prospect of change and the dynamism of the proposed approach to reforms.