We were pleased to participate in the 2025 CICA Conference, From Vision to Reality: Building Resilient and Dynamic Cities Together, held on Friday 21 November in Paris. The event brought together a wide range of international contracting associations, institutions, experts, and practitioners committed to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of urban environments.
SIF contributed to the panel discussion, alongside colleagues from the World Bank Group and IFC, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), United National Economic Commission, which focused on the financing and procurement of resilient and smart urban projects. The session explored how cities can benefit from more innovative approaches to financing and from procurement practices designed to enhance transparency, efficiency, and long-term value. Considerable emphasis was placed on reducing overall investment costs through improved technical preparation, better planning, and a stronger appreciation of each project’s full life-cycle, including effective on-site monitoring.
During the session, SIF discussed SOURCE, its global digital platform dedicated to the preparation of sustainable and resilient infrastructure, highlighting that:
“Yes, we are living in a digital revolution, but a huge percentage of CEO’s and governments want Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support them and they want it now, but also at the same time they don’t know know exactly why they want AI… they just don’t want to fall behind… Therefore, understanding where AI can create the most value, is critical in understanding how digital innovation approaches can be best leveraged” CEO, Christophe Dossarps
The discussion emphasised how such tools enable governments and institutions to adopt coherent methodologies, strengthen governance, and improve project outcomes by fostering collaboration and transparency across the entire project cycle.
Participants reflected on the increasing relevance of modern contractual models and on the opportunities offered by digital platforms that support structured project development and risk management.
“High-quality infrastructure starts with high-quality preparation. By working together and embracing collaborative digital tools, we can bring clarity, confidence and long-term value to every project”, CICA General Director, Fanny Dastugue
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to CICA for its ongoing support, particularly in relation to the SOURCE Private Sector Community, and for the kind invitation to contribute to this year’s conference.
SIF is proud to have taken part in this important conversation and remains committed to supporting the development of resilient, future-ready cities through international cooperation, innovation, and high-quality project preparation.
