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International Federation of
Freight Forwarders Associations
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2025 FIATA-RAME Field Meeting Special

FIATA e-flash
9 May 2025

Sustainable Logistics Leadership: A Landmark Gathering in Zanzibar

The FIATA-Region Africa and the Middle East (RAME) Field Meeting, themed "Collaborating in the Blue Economy: Transforming Logistics for Sustainability", held in Zanzibar, Tanzania brought together a diverse and influential group of close to 600 logistics stakeholders, policymakers, academics and industry innovators from 28 territories to shape the future of freight forwarding and trade across the region. With four robust panel sessions over two days, the event showcased actionable strategies focused on sustainable development, regional integration, digital innovation and the untapped potential of the blue economy.

The meeting’s success was made possible through the commitment and generous hospitality of the co-hosts, the Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA) and the Zanzibar Freight Forwarders Bureau (ZfB), whose efforts created an inspiring event in a remarkable setting. FIATA extends its sincere thanks to the authorities of Tanzania and Zanzibar, the Tanzanian diplomatic missions in Germany and Switzerland, and the Presidents of TAFFA and ZfB, Edward John Urio and Omar Hussein Mussa respectively, for their valuable contributions to this achievement.

From left to right: Omar Mussa, ZfB President; Hon. Dr. Khalid Salum Mohamed, Minister for Infrastructure, Communications and Transport of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar; Hon. Prof. Makame Mbarawa, Minister of Works & Transport, United Republic of Tanzania; Security personnel accompanying the delegation; Hon. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, the Second Vice President of Zanzibar; Security personnel accompanying the delegation; Turgut Erkeskin, FIATA President; Edward John Urio, TAFFA President; and Hon. Hamida Mussa Khamis, District Commissioner of the Urban District, Zanzibar.

The event was supported by the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. Although unable to attend in person unexpectedly, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania remained actively engaged remotely and conveyed her strong support for the event. Following the FIATA-RAME Field Meeting, the President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, met with the FIATA President, Mr Turgut Erkeskin and FIATA Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber, expressing strong interest in future collaboration with FIATA’s leadership, while highlighting Tanzania as a potential future host of the FIATA World Congress. FIATA also took the opportunity to thank him for the invaluable support provided by the Zanzibar authorities for the event.

During the FIATA-RAME Field Meeting, FIATA was honoured by the presence of the Minister for Transport of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Prof. Makame Mbarawa; the Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Hon. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla; the Minister of Infrastructure, Communication and Transport of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed; Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva, H.E. Ambassador Hoyce Anderson Temu; and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Republic of Tanzania to the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Ambassador Hassani Iddi Mwamweta, underscoring the governments' support and commitment to advancing sustainable logistics and infrastructure development.

Blue Economy: Unlocking Zanzibar’s Blue Economy Through Logistics

From left to right: Dr Baraka R. Mdima, Deputy Director General of the Tanzania Ports Authority; Mr Edward John Urio, President of the Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA); Mr Dawit Woubishet, President of the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association (EFFSAA) and Chair of the FIATA Air Freight Institute (AFI); Mr Akif Ali Khamis, Director General of the Zanzibar Ports Corporation; Ms Olivia Lamenya, Advisor for Climate and Logistics in Africa, Kuehne Climate Center; and Prof Preeti Aghalayam, Director-in-charge and Dean of the School of Engineering & Science at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras campus in Zanzibar.

The session, “Unlocking the Potential of Zanzibar’s Blue Economy Through Logistics”, was moderated by Mr Dawit Woubishet, President of the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association (EFFSAA) and Chair of the FIATA Air Freight Institute (AFI). The panel brought together leading voices from the government, academia and industry to explore how logistics can serve as a cornerstone for Zanzibar’s blue economy.

Prof Preeti Aghalayam, Director-in-charge and Dean of the School of Engineering & Science at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras campus in Zanzibar, highlighted the role of academic institutions in developing local talent and tailored technologies for sustainable maritime logistics. Ms Olivia Lamenya, Advisor for Climate and Logistics in Africa at the Kuehne Climate Center, addressed the importance of climate-smart infrastructure and harmonised approaches to green corridor development.

Dr Baraka R. Mdima, Deputy Director General of the Tanzania Ports Authority, and Mr Akif Ali Khamis, Director General of the Zanzibar Ports Corporation, detailed the bold infrastructure and digitalisation efforts underway, including plans for Africa’s first green passenger port. Mr Edward John Urio, President of TAFFA, underscored the critical role of freight forwarders in aligning operational efficiency with sustainable development, while also highlighting capacity building as a national priority. The session showcased Zanzibar’s emerging position as a regional logistics hub and a model for integrating sustainability with trade growth.

Multimodal Transport Corridors: Building Sustainable Infrastructure Across Tanzania

From left to right: Mr Abdallah A. Mhagama, Director of Economic Regulation, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA); Mr Ally Hamud Kakomile, Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency; Ms Kathryn Mumbua, Project Manager East Africa - Smart Freight Centre; Dr Thomas Sim, FIATA Senior Vice President; and Mr Charles Mwebembezi, President, Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA),

The second panel, “The Role of Tanzania in Developing Sustainable Multimodal Corridors”, was moderated by Dr Thomas Sim, FIATA Senior Vice President. This discussion centred on the integration of road, rail, inland waterways and port infrastructure across the region, with a strong emphasis on resilience and harmonisation.

Mr Ally Hamud Kakomile, Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency highlighted Tanzania’s efforts to develop the Central Corridor as a pilot green economic corridor under the African Union’s framework. Mr Charles Mwebembezi, President of the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), addressed the challenges and opportunities in achieving regulatory alignment for seamless cargo movement.

Ms Kathryn Mumbua, Project Manager, East Africa Green Freight Program at the Smart Freight Centre, emphasised data-driven approaches to low-carbon logistics, while Mr Abdallah Mhagama, Director of Economic Regulation at the United Republic of Tanzania, Ministry of Transport, Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA), discussed the critical role of transport policy in fostering climate-aligned infrastructure investments. The panel made it clear that building resilient, efficient and sustainable multimodal corridors will require long-term coordination, data integration and regional ownership.

Trade Facilitation: Enhancing Intermodal Connectivity and Customs Integration

From left to right: Dr Juanita Maree, South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF), Chief Executive Officer and Chair of FIATA RAME; Ms Nadia Abdul Aziz, President National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL); Ms Faith Mosongo, Programme Officer of the World Customs Organization Regional Office for Capacity Building; Mr David Rwigema, Chair Rwanda Freight Forwarders Association; Mr Felix Tinkasimile, Deputy Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement and Project Manager for Digitalisation at the Tanzania Revenue Authority; Mr Elibariki Shammy, Country Director of TradeMark Africa; and Prof David Kofi Nutakor, FIATA Vice President.

Trade facilitation and customs modernisation took centre stage in the third panel, “Trade Facilitation in the RAME Region – Intermodal Connectivity & Customs Integration”, moderated by Dr Juanita Maree, CEO of the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) and Chair of FIATA RAME. The panel brought together Mr Felix Tinkasimile, Deputy Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement and Project Manager for Digitalisation at the Tanzania Revenue Authority, who discussed the successful reduction of clearance times at the Dar es Salaam port through pre-arrival declarations and non-intrusive inspections.

Mr Elibariki Shammy, Country Director of TradeMark Africa, emphasised corridor-wide customs harmonisation and infrastructure readiness. Ms Abdul Aziz Nadia, President of the National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL), United Arab Emirates, advocated for stronger Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programmes and digital integration across FIATA RAME. Ms Faith Mosongo, Programme Officer of the World Customs Organization Regional Office for Capacity Building, stressed the importance of training and integrity within customs administrations.

Mr David Rwigema, Chair of the Rwanda Freight Forwarders Association, called for greater private sector consultation in corridor planning, and Prof David Kofi Nutakor, FIATA Vice President, provided a continental perspective on institutional reforms and innovation. Collectively, the panel underlined the need for single window systems, transparency and continuous capacity building to unlock the full trade potential of intermodal corridors.

Digitalisation: Transforming Cargo Shipping Through Innovation and Technology

From left to right: Ms Kaoutar Guessous, Vice President of the Association des Freight Forwarders du Maroc (AFFM) and Vice Chair of FIATA RAME; Mr Desiderio Fernandes, President of Federation of Clearing and Forwarding Associations of Sovereign Africa (FCFASA); Mr Anselm L. Namala, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Tanzania Shipping Company; Hon Dr Gladness Salema, Member of Parliament East Africa Legislative Assembly and Senior Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam; Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; and Mr Morgan Lépinoy, Managing Director & Global Head of Trade Facilitation at Viatrans SA and Director of Viaservice.

In the closing panel, “Challenges in Cargo Shipping: Transforming Logistics through Technology and Innovation”, moderated by Ms Kaoutar Guessous, Vice President of the Association des Freight Forwarders du Maroc (AFFM) and Vice Chair of FIATA RAME, the focus shifted to cutting-edge solutions that address long-standing bottlenecks in shipping and freight. Mr Morgan Lépinoy, Managing Director & Global Head of Trade Facilitation at Viatrans SA and Director of Viaservice, introduced a digital platform that eliminates the need for container deposits, offering immediate liquidity benefits for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

Hon Dr Gladness Salema, Member of Parliament East Africa Legislative Assembly and Senior Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, called for inclusive logistics policies and innovation frameworks that empower women and youth. Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General, underscored the critical role of the private sector in scaling digitalisation and stressed the urgency of implementing harmonised digital standards. He also presented the electronic Negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL), including the newly launched insured FIATA eFBL, as a practical tool to support trust, traceability and global interoperability in freight documentation, encouraging its wider adoption across the region to streamline cargo flows and reduce administrative burdens.

Mr Anselm L. Namala, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Tanzania Shipping Company, spoke on efforts to enhance digital visibility across ocean freight operations. Mr Desiderio Fernandes, President of the Federation of Clearing and Forwarding Associations of Sovereign Africa (FCFASA), concluded with a call for pan-African collaboration in logistics modernisation, supported by sustainable financing and public-private innovation alliances.

Regional Integration: Shaping the Future of Logistics Through Collaboration and Innovation

Throughout the FIATA-RAME Field Meeting, a consistent message emerged: the future of logistics in the region lies in integration. With Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania providing a compelling case study of policy ambition backed by infrastructure and digital investment, RAME is poised for significant progress.

FIATA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its regional Members with training, advocacy and global representation, while encouraging local innovation and sustainable development.

As trade volumes grow and global supply chains continue to evolve, the insights and partnerships cultivated in Zanzibar will be critical in shaping a logistics ecosystem that is inclusive, connected, technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable.

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