DHL at Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum
DHL shares private sector perspectives at Asia Pacific Trade
Facilitation Forum and Global Facilitation Partnership for
Transportation and Trade Technology has resulted in shortening of
product life cycles, while globalization and intensified competition has
made trade logistics a strategic source of competitive advantage.
With growing concerns on global trade, economic growth and
development, DHL, the world's leading Logistics Company further
emphasized the importance of trade logistics at the recently-concluded
Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum (APTFF). The forum was co-hosted
by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce along with United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Asian
Development Bank.
Manish Patel, Country Manager, DHL Express Sri Lanka at the
lunch meeting |
Key highlights included the participation of DHL at a high level
panel discussion, a DHL interactive stall at multimedia exhibition and
presentations during the first day of the event. At the high level panel
discussion, DHL highlighted the role express logistics plays in
connecting SME exporters in industries like textiles, electronics and
pharmaceuticals to their markets. The focus on speed and reliability
makes air express a natural innovator when it comes to trade
facilitation.
Manish Patel, Country Manager, DHL Express Sri Lanka presented on the
DHL Global Connectedness Index. The Global Connectedness Index refers to
the depth and breadth of a country's integration with the rest of the
world, as manifested by its participation in international flows of
products and services, capital, information and people.
During a lunch meeting, another speaker Sean Van Dort, Divisional
Manager, from MAS Active, discussed in detail the findings of the
Logistics Performance Index, designed and implemented by the World Bank
International Trade and Transportation Departments and endorsed and
promoted by the Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and
Trade.
As part of this engagement, DHL also participated in the meeting of
the Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and Trade (GFP).
This bi-annual meeting was jointly organized in partnership with the
UNESCAP, the UNECE and the Asian Development Bank, and was held
back-to-back with various other trade facilitation events including the
Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2012 in Colombo.
The theme of the meeting was "Trade Facilitation and Connectivity:
Recent Developments and new challenges" to explore new available tools
for trade and transit facilitation performance monitoring, including
lessons learned from other existing corridor performance monitoring
programs. Manish Patel said "Both events overall gave us an excellent
opportunity to network with experts from different organizations and
discuss challenges in transport and trade facilitation. It was also an
ideal platform to share private sector perspectives and understand the
next steps and our role in increasing trade efficiency." |