Freight forwarders prepare for AEC inception
Freight forwarders prepare for AEC inception
The annual 25th Asean Federation of Freight Forw arders meeting was held in Vientiane last week, as part of efforts by the industry to prepare for AEC integration.
The meeting was hosted by the Lao International Freight Forwarders Association (LIFFA), with the participation o f similar bodies from the other Asean countries. It was chaired by Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Lattanamany Khounnivong.
The meeting focused on sustainable human resource development to prepare for Asean integration and how this will affect the transport industry.
The meeting also exchanged information for trade facilitation in Asean, transport risk protection, freight forwarders risk protection and the development of the national single window to facilitate goods transportation from departure to destination countries.
The respective national single windows shall facilitate procedures such as goods inspection, document declaration, and electronic customs payment all at the same physical point of entry.
President of the Lao International Freight Forwarders Association, Mr Prachith Sayavong said that in Lao logistics operations are still facing difficulties on the regulatory side, while other factors include the limited capacity of business operators and the high price of services.
He noted that the logistics sector is currently unable to fully serve the needs of the trades and production industries or address the long transit times for goods exported to international markets, resulting in low competitiveness.
“The objective is to prepare for the AEC and also to ensure that transport costs in Laos can be reduced through effective document declaration by using IT systems in the field.”
“The government has placed high importance on the development of the Lao transport industry, improving rules and laws integrating with the actual conditions and circumstances, developing infrastructure and promoting the strengthening and growth of our association, and creating opportunities for the private sector to contribute its services to many government projects.
Currently Lao transport companies have developed their capacities and human resources. Lao trucks are now starting to operate outside the country, namely in Thailand and Vietnam, and will extend to cover other countries within the bilateral and multilateral frameworks of cooperation.
Laos became a member of the Asean Federation of Freight Forwarders in 2007.
