Qatar Chamber board member and President of the Qatar Association for Freight Forwarding and Logistics (QAFL) Ali bin Abdullatif Al Mesned presided over QAFL’s first meeting on Sunday, at the Chamber’s venue in the presence of its members.

The meeting focused on the introduction of QAFL, which represents the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) in Qatar. It covered QAFL’s roles and future activities, as well as calling on companies working in transport and logistics to nominate candidates for the board of directors. Further, the meeting highlighted the most important issues and challenges facing the sector in Qatar.

Speaking at the meeting, Mesned called on companies’ representatives to nominate candidates for QAFL’s board of directors, emphasizing that QAFL is the sole commission for private sector companies operating in transport and logistics in Qatar, while there are three governmental commissions in this sector.

QAFL will hold regular meetings to address all relevant issues and challenges facing the sector. He added that the next meeting will be held in May to discuss all proposals, views, and hurdles combined from members.

Mesned said that the Qatari logistics sector faces a host of challenges, emphasizing QAFL’s role in addressing them and collaborating with concerned bodies to find appropriate solutions.

He underscored QAFL’s role in increasing the contribution of the logistics sector to the state’s GDP and the national economy, stressing that developing the logistics sector enhances Qatar National Vision 2030.

He further indicated the establishment of QAFL, an association member of FIATA in Qatar, highlighting its leading role in promoting the growth and development of the country’s logistics sector. QAFL serves as the voice and link between freight forwarders, logistics companies, and state stakeholders.

QAFL’s president also provided an overview of FIATA, indicating that it is based in Geneva and is the largest organization representing freight forwarders and logistics companies in approximately 150 countries.

Mesned stressed the Chamber’s keenness on being part of this leading organization and highlighted that the Chamber officially joined FIATA last October during the ‘FIATA World Congress’ in Brussels.

He also referred to the Chamber’s recent participation in FIATA-RAME Field Meeting and Conference 2024 in Dubai.