Africa
Day 2015 is an opportunity to celebrate the development of the African
continent as well as consider the various opportunities that it offers. This is
according to Charles Brewer, Managing Director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan
Africa (SSA), who not only believes that the continent offers vast
opportunities but also that it is one of the last frontiers for economic growth
and development.
Africa
Day is the annual commemoration of the founding of the Africa Union (AU), and
acts as a reminder of the continent’s rich culture, diversity as well as its
resilience and the various developing economies on the continent.
Brewer
explains that as DHL Express has been present in Africa for 37 years, the
company has witnessed the turnaround from the ‘forgotten continent’ to ‘Africa
Rising’, which has been an amazing and insightful experience.
“Despite
the recent prediction by the World Bank[1]
that economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa will slow in 2015, the
continent still remains relatively unexplored which indicates untapped
opportunities in the region. We remain positive about Africa’s potential and
believe that it’s time for the continent to focus on the opportunities, connect
across the continent to leverage cross-border and global opportunities and grow
as one.”
To meet
the increased needs of the burgeoning middle class in the region, DHL Express
has continued their aggressive expansion strategy in their efforts to make
logistics more accessible. “With the rise of e-commerce, global markets are
more attractive and accessible to individuals and local businesses, therefore
we need to make sure that we are well positioned to cater to their needs. We
currently have 3800 retail outlets across Sub Saharan Africa,” adds Brewer.
In the
spirit of Africa Day, Brewer also points to one of the many projects conceptualized
and implemented by DHL Express on the continent – DHL Africa as One - which highlights the company’s continuous
commitment to investing in Africa. “As part of this epic journey, a team from DHL,
the official logistics partner of Rugby World Cup 2015, is driving across
Africa in three Land Rover Discoveries, while capturing every step of the
journey, every person, every place and every pass on film, in photographs and words,
and then sharing this content with Africa and the world. Part of the journey
includes passing a single rugby ball from hand to hand through 45 African
countries, over 11 months, from Cape Town and ending in London in September
2015.
We have
passed the half way mark and the team is currently in Niger, en route to Chad. The
tour is not just about rugby, but about showcasing Africa to the rest of the
world and making an impact on the continent. In addition to the rugby clinics
that take place as part of the journey, we are distributing over 500 000 units
of stationery to young children and providing free eye tests for thousands of
people, through our partnership with Mercy Ships.”
More
than ever, global companies are now looking to expand into Africa and invest in
its diverse markets and people. “DHL is committed to play a continued role in
developing the continent through its investments and initiatives aimed at
connecting Africa to the world,” concludes Brewer.
A picture of the outskirts of Tanzania.
- Ends -
DHL – The logistics company for the world
DHL is the leading global brand in the
logistics industry. DHL’s family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of
logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery,
international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain
management. With more than 325,000 employees in over 220 countries and
territories worldwide, they connect people and businesses securely and
reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth
markets and industries including e-Commerce, technology, life science and
healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate
responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is
decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.
DHL is
part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 56
billion euros in 2014.
Media Distribution by Abel &
Fernandes
0 comments:
Post a Comment