One can’t say that the TIACA managers are not active!
Doug Britten and his team have been busy during the past months in trying to give the organization a new face as well as promoting more training for upcoming airfreight management
potential as well as pushing for collaboration and cooperation between themselves and others in order to boost the air cargo industry.
The recent Air Cargo Forum which was held in Seoul, Korea, seems to have given them a thankful breakthrough.
Although the conference happened a few weeks back, we feel it worthwhile highlighting the progress made once again in the hope that our industry readers also get onto the band wagon.
TIACA, ICAO, WCO - joining hands!
There were more than 2200 delegates and industry leaders who attended the conference in order to try and forge new business opportunities.
Doug and his team took the lead by taking the stage along with the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) in order to pledge a common closer
collaboration for the future between the three important organizations.
TIACA Chairman, Oliver Evans, put it in a nutshell when he stated that “the industry is facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities and we must face them together.”
This collaboration agreement has been a long time in coming, but if it holds firm then it offers many positive facets for the future of the air cargo industry.
Just imagine, TIACA, WCO and ICAO all pulling on the same string in the near future!
This would serve to cut corners on many regulatory issues and bring important decisions with regards to compliances within our industry to become more transparent, easier to decide on, work and
comply with.
It’s still a long road ahead.
It’s not done yet, but a good start has been made with this recently publicized agreement.
It now means that all concerned, along with the industry as a whole, really pull along and forget past differences and get the air cargo industry back to where it should be.
Oliver in one of his comments really hit the nail on the head by telling all present that “collaboration is key. It’s a long road, but it is an exciting one and one we can be proud of.”
Hopefully, all those who heard this will take the same message back to their HQ’s and staff.
WCO Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya and ICAO Secretary General, Raymond Benjamin were just as enthusiastic as Oliver Evans during the many workshops and panel sessions.
Benjamin told the trade that “airtrade is an essential enabler of global connectivity, but we need to forge practical partnerships and solutions.”
His colleague at the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya added that “getting information at an early stage, preferably pre-loading, is vital to deciding what approach is needed for high risk cargo and that is
why we have started working closely with the industry and ICAO.”
It’s a new start, one which we at CFG fully support and intend to continue reporting on in the future in the hope that this will take root.
Normally, a “menage a trios” is not seen as something which has long term benefits.
However, in this case it can certainly be different.
Changes in the Board
New candidates for the TIACA Board of Directors will be looked for in the coming months.
Steve Prince and Eno Osinga will step down from their positions on the Board next year as they enter into well earned retirement.
Also, Olivier Bijaoui, who has been a long time stalwart in TIACA and who has been very active in this region, feels he needs to step back due to work commitments.
All three have done much to promote TIACA members interests and will be sorely missed.
Let’s hope that suitable replacements can be found as soon as possible so that the new thread of going forward can continue.
John Mc Donagh
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