The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) announced that its Executive Summit would be held in Brussels, Belgium, on November 6-8, 2023, after it concluded its third regional event recently, the TIACA Event Africa.
Held on June 19-21, the TIACA Event Africa was lauded as a success in its aim to bring the local air cargo community and international delegates together to discuss the intricacies of doing business to/from and within Africa.
The event was held in Nairobi and was hosted by Kenya Airports Authority.
TIACA said its first regional event brought together 200 delegates from across the industry to discuss issues that affect the African air cargo market and gave insight into how to do business within Africa.
Topics such as SAATM, AfCFTA, eCommerce, pharma, perishables, freighter capacity, workforce challenges, digital innovation and air cargo outlook were addressed.
"We were pleased to have such great support from the Kenyan government, African Airlines Association (AFRAA), our host Kenyan Airports Authority and our many sponsors, as well as the membership, the industry and its leaders. The event's success is vital to uniting the air cargo industry by bringing the international community together to discuss, debate and network in regions throughout the world," said Steven Polmans, chair of TIACA.
Alex Gitari, MD, Kenya Airports Authority, said the gateway is delighted to have played host to TIACA Event Africa.
"The event provided an excellent platform for networking, sharing insights, and exploring opportunities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of air cargo operations within Africa. We remain committed to working collaboratively with industry stakeholders to address challenges, capitalize on the potential of the African air cargo market, and foster an environment that promotes innovation, embraces modern technologies, and supports sustainable growth," Gitari said.
Jacob Bwana, general manager of marketing and business development at Kenya Airports Authority, also welcomed the event, noting that KAA was "very excited" to host the TIACA Event-Africa, which brought together industry experts across to discuss both futuristic and current affairs affecting the airfreight business environment in Africa.
"Indeed, this was long-awaited, and we can't wait to be part of the next event. As a matter of fact, Airlink signed its first formal partnership agreement with an African carrier, the Nairobi-based cargo airline, Astral Aviation, during the TIACA Event-Africa! Such success stories and business development are among the salient reasons why we will always be part of the TIACA community," Bwana added.
TIACAs said its regional events are designed to identify specific issues on a regional level that TIACA can incorporate into our overall work on behalf of the industry. Each regional event will develop an action plan that will be incorporated into TIACAs strategic objectives and activities.
Abderahmane Berthé – AFRAA secretary general, said the collaboration is "crucial" for AFRAA to tap into TIACA's expertise and knowhow on air cargo for the development of the air transport industry in Africa.
"Staging the first-ever edition of the TIACA Event Africa is a major stride to contribute to the overall sustainability of African aviation. We believe that the synergies will be beneficial African airlines and TIACA members," Berthé said.
Glyn Hughes, director general of TIACA, for his part, noted that each regional event that TIACA organizes "shows us the importance of the role each region plays in the overall air cargo market."
"We find connecting with the members and the air cargo community during these regional events vital in our mission to unite the industry. We are able to establish stronger relationships and identify issues that we as a membership-driven association may need to take up. We now look forward to the next event, the global TIACA Executive Summit and invite everyone to join us and discuss air cargo on the global level," Hughes said.
The TIACA Executive Summit will be hosted by Brussels International Airport.