The World Congress of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) was held from October 4th to October 6th, 2023, at the Brussels Conference Center in Belgium, with nearly 1000 invited guests from various sectors, primarily in freight forwarding, transportation, and other logistics services. This international event provided opportunities for business cooperation and global trade connections for businesses and government organizations.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Minh and the representatives of FIATA

The global climate is becoming increasingly harsh, with natural disasters significantly impacting production. Therefore, this year’s congress focused on the theme “Logistics in the Face of Climate Change.” The event addressed challenges, innovative approaches, and development trends to adapt to climate change and the constantly changing global business environment. After the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with extreme climate conditions, the global economy faced significant challenges, especially in the logistics sector. Experts in the industry discussed strategies to cope with climate change and provided digital transformation solutions. Businesses recognized this as a valuable opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about transitioning from fossil energy to green energy, understanding common quality standards, and digitizing customs data, as well as building a roadmap for carbon neutrality.

Nguyen Duy Minh, the COB of WR1 and the Secretary-General of the Vietnam Logistics Service Business Association, led the delegation of business representatives. He stated, “By attending this congress, I hope to promote FWC 2025, which will be hosted in Vietnam, attract customers, and engage with logistics companies worldwide. Additionally, I aim to collaborate with the Belgian Logistics Association and the government of the Flanders region to provide solutions for Vietnamese businesses to establish long-term and close collaborations with Belgian partners. Furthermore, I hope that Vietnamese export service companies can form partnerships with Belgian counterparts to establish a logistics center for Vietnam in Belgium.”

The FWC 2023 congress featured discussions on topics currently of global interest, such as sustainable development in the logistics industry, digitization, multimodal transportation needs, regulations, and the future of the workforce in the sector, focusing on developing solutions for the next generation. Particularly, the discussion session on “Optimizing Risk Management” explored effective methods for managing risks in logistics, enhancing control, and utilizing risks to make informed decisions.

The main content of FWC 2023

Earlier, Stéphane Graber, the Director-General of FIATA, visited Vietnam in July and affirmed that Vietnam’s logistics sector has significant potential for development. Vietnam possesses advantages in multimodal transport, including air, sea, rail, and river transport, making it suitable for establishing a regional logistics hub. Moreover, the global trend of relocating manufacturing plants to Vietnam creates favorable conditions for logistics and employment opportunities. FIATA emphasized Vietnam’s effective implementation of logistics development practices and the need for further development, expertise, and internal training. Therefore, FIATA will collaborate with the Vietnam Logistics Association to enhance logistics training.