Region Africa Middle East FIATA Regional Field Meeting 2013

The Field Meeting of FIATA’s Region Africa and Middle East (RAME) were held in Dar Es Salaam/Tanzania from the 19th to the 21st of June 2013. The venue being the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel situated in Oyster Bay, Dar Es Salaam.  The theme for the Field meeting was "Towards More Sustainable Regional Freight Forwarding Partnerships in the Region Africa and Middle East”. 
 
This year`s Field Meeting was attended by more than 200 delegates representing around 20 countries. A special honour was afforded to the Honourable Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr Mohamed Ghalib Bilali as well as the Honourable Minister of Transport of Tanzania Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, by the current FIATA President Mr Stanley Lim. It was the 1st time in FIATA RAME History that an acting State Vice President participated in the Field Meeting. 
 
The annual meetings’ primary goal is to bring the regional players together to achieve networking, disseminate best practices and be able to deal with issues and challenges prevailing in the respective countries and potential ways for their resolutions using the FIATA mechanism. The Regional Meeting and its rotational attributes provide such a platform – this since its inception some 13 years ago. 
 
This event hosted, amongst others, senior freight forwarders, business delegates, government officials, ambassadors and trade representatives from the Africa and Middle Eastern regions. 
 
 
FIATA President Stanley Lim was impressed with the participation level and representation from the Middle East & Africa. Mr Lim elaborated on FIATA’s role in reaching out to the region and the vision to improve awareness and knowledge level in the global trade. RAME was the last to be incorporated into the FIATA fold and it is important that all the support is provided to harness its full potential. 
 
The Chairman Mr Basil Pietersen announced that two candidates from the RAME Region (Egypt and Kenya) participated in this year’s Young Freight Forwarder of the Year competition with Mr. Mohamed Samy from Egypt being selected to represent the Region at the FWC to be held in Singapore in October 2013. Hopefully the Region will repeat last year’s achievement in our candidate being crowned the winner.  
 
Mr Farid Saffarzadeh, Iran Representative (Advisor to the MTI WG Sea) gave an introduction about the work, the targets and the pending issues discussed within the WG Sea. This was followed by a very interesting discussion from the floor.
 
After a very informative and special presentation made by the FIATA WG Sea Member, Mr Reuben Ndegwa (Kenya) made a presentation on the interesting developments taking place in Kenya…projects such as the  Lamu Port and proposed new Railway networks spanning Kenya/Uganda/Ethiopia. 
 Mr Joseph Musariri, Manager of the Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe –SFAAZ- made an interesting Country presentation followed by an intense floor discussion thereafter. Zimbabwe’s presentation had a twofold purpose – firstly to provide information about the Country and its people and secondly to bid for the hosting of the 2014 RAME Field Meeting. 
 
 Very interesting and specific information(s) was provided by –EFFSAA- the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association elaborating on the new directives issued earlier this year allowing the private and public sectors to equally practice their profession of forwarding and shipping business within the Country
 
After the break, Mr Aldo Da Ros (Italy) President of the FIATA Foundation made a presentation and informed the delegates about this unique FIATA Foundation, their targets and goals. Needless to state that this presentation was well received by all.
 
Again RAME delegates expressed their intention to become more actively involved in the Advisory Bodies, Institutes and Working Groups of FIATA. The chairman confirmed that this has to be the ultimate goal of RAME to make sure that members are inducted in the various organs of FIATA. 
 
The importance of the FIATA RAME Field Meetings is demonstrated in the number of applications already received from Members bidding for the hosting of the 2014 and even 2015 meetings. The final vote for 2014 will be decided in Singapore during the FIATA World Congress.
 
The Chairman concluded the meeting with a vote of thanks to TAFFA for a job well done in hosting this year’s Field Meeting and looks forward to seeing all participants in Singapore in October. It must be recorded that for the 1st time in RAME History, was the event attended, by the FIATA President, Mr Stanley Lim and three former FIATA Presidents, namely Mr Issa Baluch, Mr Abdelmalek Dahmani (Founder of RAME), and Mr Aldo Da Ros (President FIATA Foundation). In addition the RAME Chair Mr Basil Pietersen and the RAME Manager Mr Peter Maegerle where in attendance. 

Source: FIATA