Nadia Abdul Aziz speaks during the conference in Dubai.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Saeed Al Maktoum, Honorary Patron of NAFL, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) RAME (Region Africa Middle East) Field Meeting and Conference 2024 closed successfully in Dubai committing to working together to address the current disruptions in the logistics sector to build resilient and sustainable supply chains.

An important outcome of the conference was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UAE National Association of Freight & Logistics (NAFL) and Kale Logistics, a leading provider of comprehensive cloud enterprise systems for the logistics sector. The partnership will focus on developing digital solutions to streamline processes and data analytics to facilitate trade.

This will further drive the digitalisation of the sector in the UAE and enable NAFL stakeholders, members and the private sector in general to improve efficiency and transparency and benefit from a digital platform that supports operational processes and data sharing between stakeholders and facilitates the paperless exchange of trade-related information. The platform, which will initially focus on the UAE market, aims to improve trade flows within the region and capitalise on the strategic location and connectivity of the country and the entire RAME region. Throughout the conference, the focus was on fostering collaboration and introducing innovative solutions within the industry. Among the critical issues addressed at FIATA RAME were the strategies for tackling with disruptions rising from geopolitical uncertainties and other causes such as natural disasters. The event also emphasised the importance of partnerships between governments, logistics providers and industry players to facilitate interoperability in the global logistics market and develop sustainable practices.

Thanking the participants Nadia Abdul Aziz, President of NAFL, thanked the participants: “The FIATA-RAME conference was a valuable platform to foster collaboration and explore innovative solutions. The meeting identified several key areas for improvement in the regional logistics sector. One of our focus areas is harnessing the opportunities offered by digitalisation, particularly in the private sector, which includes many of our members.”

“To this end, our partnership with Kale Logistics will help private sector players to streamline processes through digitalisation, measure sustainability data and simplify business processes. In the meantime, we are also talking to entities, which include National Information Centre, global audit experts and collaboration between the government players and the private sector to improve business and improve the sustainability of the sector. We aim to turn the challenges in the industry into opportunities, improve the flow of trade in the region and utilise the connectivity of the UAE and the region to overcome the current challenges.”

Turgut Erkeskin, President of FIATA, said: “Building resilience and sustainability in the African and Middle Eastern logistics industry requires a collaborative approach. We are encouraged by the discussions at the FIATA-RAME conference and the commitment of stakeholders to work together to overcome the challenges and create a more resilient future for the industry.”

The two-day event brought together key players from the African and Middle Eastern logistics and global experts from the industry, serving as a crucial platform for knowledge sharing, forging partnerships, and charting a path toward a more resilient and collaborative logistics landscape in Africa and the Middle East.

The National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL) a FIATA Chapter in the UAE is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, based on a membership program that represents the freight forwarders in some 150 countries. NAFL’s membership comprises over 450 corporate companies. Founded in February 1992, NAFL is based in Dubai, UAE. It is the true voice of the industry with a big focus on the logistics industry private sector. It works very closely with all federal government offices in the UAE. One of their main objectives is to raise the industry standards through professional training, and capacity building and focusing on Emiratization in the supply chain, logistics, and freight forwarding sector. It also focuses on any challenges and opportunities in the market and works closely with all government stakeholders to address these challenges and opportunities. They also focus on empowering the youth, women and work on sustainable solutions and digitalisation use in their long- and short-term goals.

FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations is a non-governmental, membership-based organisation representing freight forwarders in some 150 countries. FIATA’s membership is composed of 114 association members and more than 6,000 Individual Members, overall representing an industry of 40,000 freight forwarding and logistics firms worldwide. Based in Geneva, FIATA is ‘the global voice of freight logistics.