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.

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."