Mainly managing directors from freight forwarders in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, the first group completed a five-day course to become trainers for the program, which incorporated five modules:
- Supply Chain Management
- Transportation Management
- IT
- Border Control and Processes
- Safety and Security
Charles HW Edwards, Chairman ' Council of Associates, Education and Research Committee, TIACA, who attended the training in Nairobi, said: 'It is a significant boost to our program that so many executives in the region committed their free time to improving the caliber and professionalism of all members of the industry.'
The five-day course in Kenya opened with welcoming addresses by John Bosco Rusagara, President of The Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), David Adolwa, regional representative of USAID ' Compete, Hadi Abdullahi, representing the Commissioner of Kenya Customs Service, and Charles Edwards for TIACA.
Mr. Hadi Abdullahi, Assistant Commissioner of Customs Services (Kenya) in the keynote address, congratulated the partnership of FEAFFA and TIACA on their efforts to expand educational resources for the freight forwarding industry. This, he said, would benefit the economic development of the East African community.
A series of surveys conducted by TIACA's Education and Research Committee in late 2009 identified a need for training in East Africa. During meetings in January 2010, Issa Baluch and Charles Edwards of TIACA's Education & Research Committee (ERC) met with leaders of the freight forwarding associations to discuss their interest and potential support for a program.
Just over 12 months later, the outcome of those discussions was the first ever delivery of a program conceived by the ERC members and developed by TIACA's contractor, Strategic Aviation Solutions International (SASI). TIACA and FEAFFA, with the local financial support of USAID, formed a partnership to develop, deliver and market this timely and appropriate education program. Lilian Tan, Director, Training of SASI, who led the development of the program, was the instructor for the course. She was assisted by Charles Edwards and John Mathenge, Regional Executive Director of FEAFFA during the first day of classes.
Following completion of the program, the trainers will now be using the program in their respective countries helping managers and staff among the 2,500 freight forwarder member companies in the region to use TIACA's Air Cargo Logistics Efficiency, Safety and Security Course.
