UK to be main delivery partner of Lima 2019 Pan American Games
New arrangement signed by Greg Hands will open up major contracts to UK businesses and offer sporting expertise from London 2012.
International Trade Minister Greg Hands, accompanied by Peruvian Ambassador to the UK Claudio de la Puente Ribeyro, signs the arrangement via video-link with the Lima 2019 organising committee.
International Trade Minister Greg Hands today signed an arrangement with the organisers of the 2019 Pan-American Games, making the UK the lead partner in helping deliver the fourth largest sporting event in the world, providing expertise from managing events like London 2012.
The games, hosted in Peru for the first time in Lima in 2019, will bring together the nations of North and South America, with over 5,000 competitors in 36 different sports. As part of the agreement, a team of UK experts with experience running over 100 major sporting events including the 2012 Olympics will work closely with the Lima 2019 organising committee, helping it deliver the infrastructure and organisation of the games on-time and on-budget.
Contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds will be open to UK companies to help deliver the organisation of the games in areas like event management, security and construction where the UK is a world-leader having been involved in the organisation of every major international sporting event since the 2000 Olympics.
Joint Statement from the UK and Peru governments
(Lima, Peru – 19 April 2017) The Peruvian government, through its ‘Special Project for the Planning and Development of the Lima 2019 Games’, and the UK’s Department for International Trade, have arranged for Peru to receive UK support and knowledge-transfer in order to successfully organise and deliver the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games. The arrangement will cover the entire duration of the project until the closing of the Lima 2019 Games.
The bilateral arrangement was signed within an international cooperation framework which will enable Peru to carry out a successful edition of the Pan American Games and leave a lasting economic, social, urban, and sporting legacy.
The UK has proven experience in organising and delivering successful global sport events whilst leaving a positive legacy for host cities and countries.
Carlos Neuhaus, President of the Lima 2019 organising committee, said:
This arrangement with the UK government is fundamental to our progress in successfully organising and delivering the Lima 2019 Games. We are thrilled to be working in close collaboration with our British partners, benefitting from their extensive expertise to make the Lima 2019 Games a success.
Greg Hands, Minister of State in the Department for International Trade, said:
Since the Sydney Games in 2000 the UK has been involved in every major global sporting tournament offering support in areas like construction, transport and event organisation. This new agreement will deliver that world-leading expertise to help make the Lima 2019 Games a success, creating opportunities for UK companies and a lasting legacy for the Peruvian people as we did at London 2012.
British Ambassador to Peru, Anwar Choudhury, added:
This is a significant new milestone for our 2 countries. We are in this together, as friends and as long-standing partners. Through our support and expertise, we are confident we can make the Lima 2019 Games a tremendous success and leave a lasting legacy for Peru, just as the 2012 Olympic Games did in London.
Knowledge transfer is also part of the bilateral arrangement. The team of British experts has an accumulated experience of over 100 large sporting events, including the 2012 Olympic Games in London, to help the Special Project ensure effective time-management and quality delivery of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.