Supply chain management discussed at conference

The second Supply Chain Management Conference was held on Tuesday under the theme 'International Integration of the Flow of Goods and Services' under the patronage of HE the Minister of Transport Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, and with the participation of a number of local authorities in the public and private sectors.The conference discussed the arrangements made by the State for the continuation and strengthening of supply chains and the role of all stakeholders and relevant authorities in facilitating and providing them, while the speakers highlighted the contribution of their authorities to this vital and important issue.In his speech, assistant undersecretary of Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Transport (MoT), Dr Saleh bin Fetais al-Marri, said this conference comes in line with the ministry's plans to develop an integrated transport network with the aim of providing all services for transporting goods and passengers and supporting logistical services that support supply and supply chains, which enhances the security of the import and export movement of goods and contribute to supporting the economy and trade exchange of the State.He noted that in this context, the ministry has made great strides in developing the transport and communications sector in order to support the achievement of the pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030 in terms of economic, social, human and environmental development, while the ministry has also worked on developing and building new projects in the transport sector that accommodate a wide range of goods and services, and use the best systems and technologies in the world, so that society can benefit from them and be a real legacy for future generations.In this context, he pointed out that Hamad Port is today one of the largest commercial ports in the world, while Doha Port represents Qatar's gateway to marine tourism and Al Ruwais Port is the northern maritime trade gateway to Qatar, along with Hamad International Airport.He explained that this integrated infrastructure was able, during the Covid-19 pandemic, to continue its performance with high efficiency in securing operations and ensuring the stability of supply and supply chains, while implementing all measures and precautionary safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus.For his part, assistant director-general for Government Relations and Committees Affairs at Qatar Chamber, Ali Bu Sherbak al-Mansouri, said the theme of the conference represents a vital artery and an important hub for the global trade movement, facilitating the transfer and shipping of goods and commodities from one country to another, as well as its importance for the success of companies and institutions in providing needs, reduce costs and improve quality.He pointed out that Qatar set early a future strategy to develop all factors related to supply and supply chains, so it established the infrastructure for this, such as Hamad Port, which provides shipping and transport services to more than 100 destinations in the world and is one of the important ports in the Middle East. This is in addition to developing all the logistics sectors by sea, land and air, and overcoming the obstacles and challenges that faced the supply and supply chain sector during Covid-19 pandemic.He explained that Qatar Chamber is the guarantor and the national issuing institution for the TIR system for international land transport in Qatar, which is a multilateral system and the safest means of transport across international borders.For his part, the executive vice-president of Support Services at Milaha, Saleh Alharoon, said the second edition of this conference confirms the strategic importance of supply and supply chains as the main artery that links Qatar with the world and contributes to securing safe and sustainable lines for the flow of goods and merchandise, in order to serve the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy, in terms of securing import sources and achieving self-sufficiency in many areas.He said the concept of supply chain management, despite its modernity, was able to gain great interest from countries and institutions because of its impact on global trade and all stages of the production cycle, which begins with planning and purchasing raw materials, and ends with the delivery of the product to the final consumer.He indicated that over the past years, Qatar has strengthened its investments in diversifying local and global supply chains by developing the infrastructure of the transport and communications system, adopting the latest digital and logistical systems, providing financial incentives and commercial laws that contribute to increasing competitiveness and attracting foreign investments. It has succeeded in diversifying sources of its income, expanding into new markets, building business partnerships based on common interests, and strengthening partnership between the public and private sectors, which contributed to the flexibility, stability and sustainability of supply chains.