Projects and Project Management in Peru

The Republic of Peru [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru] is a country in the north-western part of South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean. It´s an extremely biodiverse country with habitats ranging from the arid plains of the Pacific coastal region in the west to the peaks of the Andes mountains vertically extending from the north to the southeast of the country to the tropical Amazon Basin rainforest [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_basin] in the east with the Amazon river. The territory was home of several ancient cultures, starting in the 32nd century BC from the Norte Chico civilization [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norte_Chico_civilization] to the famous Inca Empire [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire], the largest and most sophisticated state in pre-Columbian America with nowadays tourist magnet of Machu Picchu [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu]. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty that encompassed most of its South American colonies, with its capital in Lima. Peru formally reached independence in 1824 following military campaigns of José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, and the decisive battle of Ayacucho [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_War_of_Independence].

Peru is an emerging, social market economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Peru]. After a decline in 2015 and 2016, in 2017 the GDP of Peru increased significantly to US$ 216 billion and continued to grow in 2018. Main industries comprise of mining and refining of minerals, steel and metal fabrication, petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas and natural gas liquefaction, fishing and fish processing, cement, glass, textiles, clothing, food processing, beer, rubber, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, and furniture. Main export partners are China and the USA.

What concerns projects, they can be found in very different sectors, including but not limited to projects funded by the World Bank such as the Modernization of Water Supply and Sanitation Services Project for Peru [http://projects.worldbank.org/P157043?lang=en], large infrastructure projects such as the Lima Metro Line or the Airport Expansion Project [http://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/infrastructure/perus-biggest-infra-projects-under-construction], or large renewable energy projects, such as the Inkia Cerro del Aguila large hydropower station [http://ppi-re.worldbank.org/data/project/inkia–cerro-del-aguila-7142]. Other projects are conducted in the social sector and for mining investments.

The Asociación Peruana de Dirección de Proyectos (APDP) was established in July 2009 and accepted to IPMA in 2010. The goal of the association is to help project managers in Perú to improve their technical, behavioral and contextual competences. Projects are a profound human task, not just a technical issue. The association’s opinion is that the better people mean better project managers. For that reason, the profession in Peru requires continuous programmes to exchange experiences, knowledge, and good

practices. IPMA Peru is partnering with the leading Universities in Peru to move the profession forward and attracts especially young people through dedicated young crew activities, such as the PM Championship. During this year´s International Championship of the Latin American Countries in Chile, the team from Peru won [https://www.become.pm/projectmanagementchampionships/2018/08/31/latnet-international-project-management-championship-2018/]. Furthermore, the APDP conducts an annual conference, a masterclass event every second month at one of the partnering universities and certifies project managers in the IPMA 4-Level-Certification System.

Peru is a member of LATNET, the regional network of Latin American PM Associations. The Certification Body in Peru supports the neighboring countries Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Paraguay. The “El-Nino” phenomenon hit Peru strongly in 2017, resulting in devastating floods with 100.000 victims, 157.000 houses damaged, 159 bridges collapsed and 1 900 km of roads destroyed [https://www.globe.gov/web/claudiacarovera/home/blog/-/blogs/el-nino-costero-in-peru-a-story-to-tell]. IPMA together with its national member in Peru conducted a “Coaching4Development” event [https://www.ipma.world/society/coaching-for-development/], highlighting the importance of project management in rebuilding the country after such a crisis.