Logistics Services Are Crucial For Economic Growth And Humanitarian Aid Delivery, Says Dr. Al Rabeeah

Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, Advisor to the Royal Court and General Supervisor of KSrelief, underscored the importance of logistics in economic growth. He noted that logistics enhance goods movement, cut costs, and boost supply chain efficiency, helping companies stay competitive. These insights were shared during the "Logistics Services: The Heart of Global Trade" session at the World Logistics Forum 2024 in Riyadh from October 12 to 14.

The forum was organised by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services and attracted over 10,000 participants. Attendees included leaders and officials from the logistics sector, public and private representatives, experts, senior executives, and pioneers globally. Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed concerns about regional crises affecting humanitarian aid delivery to vulnerable groups.

Dr. Al Rabeeah highlighted how local and regional crises hinder aid delivery to those in need. Such crises sometimes require aid to be rerouted through neighbouring countries or delivered after displacement. Conflicts have increased vulnerabilities in key transport routes like the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

Additionally, cyberattacks have disrupted essential systems across governments, hospitals, private firms, and communication networks. These disruptions pose significant challenges to maintaining effective humanitarian aid operations worldwide.

To tackle these challenges, Dr. Al Rabeeah suggested forming a Logistics Aid Council. This council would include governments, regulatory bodies, transport authorities, private companies, and NGOs. Its goal would be to ensure unrestricted access for aid aircraft to airports and air corridors.

The council would also work on waiving fees and taxes on aid-carrying aircraft while simplifying delivery processes. Such measures aim to lower costs and address the increasing humanitarian funding gap effectively.

Dr. Al Rabeeah's proposals highlight the need for collaborative efforts among various stakeholders to improve logistics services for humanitarian purposes. By ensuring smoother operations in crisis-affected regions, these initiatives could significantly enhance global aid delivery systems.

With inputs from SPA