The Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) International Conference, held on 10 October 2025 at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London, provided a pivotal forum for global leaders and experts involved in national infrastructure planning and delivery. Organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the event offered participants the latest insights into the EBI Programme, which outlines international best practices for identifying and achieving national infrastructure goals. The conference assembled an impressive roster of speakers, including Hon Chris Bishop, New Zealand’s Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Transport, and Jordan Schwartz, Executive Vice President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Their presence underscored the conference’s focus on aligning infrastructure priorities with the long-term needs of countries.
The EBI Programme, which convened this gathering, supports governments worldwide by providing a structured framework for strengthening strategic infrastructure planning. Central to the programme are eight guiding principles and a three-step planning process, accompanied by a strategic gap assessment tool designed to evaluate and improve infrastructure planning practices. These resources aim to help governments make informed, sustainable decisions that translate into resilient infrastructure outcomes over the coming decades. At the conference, attendees from a 20-country network engaged with these tools and approaches, sharing challenges and solutions that address infrastructure strategy in diverse contexts.
Infrastructure decisions made today bear consequences that will shape economic growth, social well-being, and environmental sustainability for generations. The conference emphasized the importance of well-planned, purposeful infrastructure development that balances certainty and pace with careful strategic foresight. It provided an unparalleled opportunity for international dialogue, enabling policymakers, planners, and experts to explore effective ways to enhance the impacts of infrastructure investments over timelines spanning 10 to 50 years.
This London event was one of several high-profile gatherings in 2025 addressing infrastructure’s role in sustainable development and resilience. For instance, the REINFORCE 2025 International Conference, held virtually in July, focused on engineering innovations supporting resilient and circular economy infrastructure. It brought together industry and academic experts who explored sustainability, digital transformation, and new technologies tackling infrastructure challenges. Similarly, the FIDIC Global Infrastructure Conference in Cape Town, held in September, discussed smart infrastructure’s potential to foster resilience, equity, and innovation in building sustainable economies. These complementary conferences reflect a growing global consensus on the need for integrated, forward-looking infrastructure strategies that respond not only to immediate demands but also to long-term societal and environmental goals.
The EBI International Conference thus serves as a critical platform where international best practices converge with practical experiences and policy innovation. By convening influential leaders and offering evidence-based tools, the ICE-convened programme seeks to enable governments to meet infrastructure challenges proactively and collaboratively, shaping a future where infrastructure supports prosperity, sustainability, and resilience worldwide.
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Source: Noah Wire Services