The Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India (FFFAI) and Dubai’s National Association of Freight & Logistics (NAFL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an objective to record and form the basis of understanding between the said associations to strengthen, promote and develop co-operation on the basis of equality and mutual benefits. The agreement was formally signed by Shankar Shinde, Chairman, FFFAI and Nadia Abdul Aziz, President, NAFL.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of World Expo 2020 in Dubai, after the FFFAI delegation reached the UAE capital to attend Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO)’s event: 3rd Logix 2022, which started on March 21, 2022.
As per the MoU, Trade Support; Technology Exchange; Women Participation; Youth Promotion; Members Support Safety; Skill Development and Training; Business Opportunities; among other relevant areas of cooperation are the key areas to be jointly addressed by FFFAI and NAFL.
The co-operation would also extend to identify and recommend members to securely do business and safeguard/protect them providing services and support pertaining to payment reliability.
With the recent signing of INDIA – UAE FTA, the trade between India and UAE is expected to touch US$100 billion in the next 5 years with most Indian items are now duty free to UAE.
“In view of the fact that there is a trend of increasing trade between India and UAE and Dubai being one of the strategic hubs of logistics operations, the MoU is very significant. Both FFFAI and NAFL are playing catalysing roles in trade facilitation in their respective countries i.e. India and UAE. The MoU would further explore new areas for win-win benefits of the members of both the associations in terms of expansion of business and enhancement of skills,” shared Shankar Shinde, Chairman, FFFAI.
FFFAI is the apex body and the sole representative of 28 member associations from all over India representing 6500 custom brokers. The organisation is directly and indirectly connected with freight forwarders, shipping, end to end logistics and international trade and commerce.
NAFL was founded in Dubai in February 1992 as mandated by the Government of Dubai to respond to the need to bring together the increasing number of freight and logistics service providers in the UAE. Apart from trade facilitation NAFL is playing the important role to spearhead relevant training programs, which are crucial in the development of a corporation, as well as the industry.
Both, FFFAI and NAFL are the members of International Federation of Freight-Forwarders Associations (FIATA), representing freight forwarders in some 150 countries. Based in Geneva, FIATA’s membership is composed of 111 Associations Members and more than 5,500 Individual Members, overall representing an industry of 40,000 freight forwarding and logistics firms worldwide.
