Trade summit seeks to transform Qatar into logistics, supply chain hub

The first edition of the Qatar Trade Summit, which opens in Doha Monday aims to transform Qatar into a regional logistics and supply chain hub, according the event's organisers.

Narendra Kumar, the head of the summit’s steering committee, said the three-day event is being held at the InterContinental Doha The City and gathers local and international business leaders who are expected to interact with global thought leaders, industry stakeholders and experts from the fields of sea ports, air cargo, supply chain, and logistics.The summit will hold discussions about the ‘Impact of ports and shipping in regional economic progress’, ‘air cargo sector and its in?uence on bridging regional markets’, ‘supply chain logistics and trends and future of logistics’.It will also feature a workshop focusing on ‘Made in Qatar’, which will explore the potential of bringing business to the region, and another one titled ‘Global Strategic Partnerships Workshop’.In a statement, the organisers said the summit is hosting “some of the world’s most reputed names” from the air cargo, logistics and supply chain domains. Also, prominent industry leaders will be delivering keynote speeches during the three-day event.They include HE Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker, Kuwait Ports Authority director general and chairman of Federation of Arab Ports & the Arab Transport Sector Sheikh Yousef Abdullah al-Nasser al-Sabah, Mwani Qatar CEO Abdulla al-Khanji, Qatar Financial Centre CEO & board member Yousuf al-Jaida,Qatar Free Zones Authority CEO Lim Meng Hui, Lloyd’s List Containers editor James Baker, Global head IATA Cargo Glyn Hughes, Turkish Cargo chief cargo officer Turhan Özen, DHL Global Forwarding, Middle East & Africa CEO Amadou Diallo, and Qatar Airways chief cargo officer Guillaume Halleux.“Despite the challenges facing the global container shipping sector, the Middle East is emerging as one of the bright spots. Transported volumes are increasing and global carriers are adding more services to the region as demand rises.“The region’s strategic location on the midway point of China’s ambitious Belt and Road project has led to increased interest in container terminal developments. In the first nine months of this year alone, Qatari ports saw volumes rise by 2% to over 1mn teu,” Baker said.Bertrand Maltaverne, solutions consultant, Ivaula Inc, Austria, said: “The logistics market in Qatar is at a growth stage and a steady one at that for the last five to 10 years, with the new expansion plans in the country, the upcoming major 2022 FIFA World Cup event, and the ambitious plans of the Qatari leadership to grow the country into a new regional logistical hub, and a major global LNG supplier.”Diallo added: “I am personally convinced that Qatar will become a global technology and life sciences and healthcare logistics hub for time and temperature sensitive goods, thanks to its airports and logistics infrastructure. Qatar will become a global platform for connecting people and improving lives.”