Only with agile supply chains, local partnerships and long-term collaborations can the players in the disaster relief sector overcome future challenges. This was the tenor of the premiere of ConnectChains – The Humanitarian Supply Chain Conference on November 29 at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.
For the first time, the Logistics Hall of Fame organisation brought together more than 60 top-class international experts from the field of humanitarian logistics, including several humanitarian organisations, logistics companies, scientists, donors and politicians. The aim of the summit was for the stakeholders to network better, identify the biggest challenges and exchange best practice examples. The event was hosted by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.
During the discussions, the experts emphasised that work in disaster areas is made more difficult by factors such as climate change, political crises and water and energy shortages. They called on politicians – especially in countries affected by crises – to ensure a standardised legal framework. Rapid assistance is particularly difficult in transnational operations because regulations differ from country to country and change quickly. They also believe that forward-looking investment in infrastructure and contingency plans are necessary.
Oliver Luksic, Federal Government Coordinator for Freight Transport and Logistics, emphasised that the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport had already responded to recent crises such as the floods in the Ahr valley or the war in Ukraine and had become even more professional in the area of disaster management. "The crises have shown how important it is to manage aid supplies quickly and efficiently," said Luksic.
During the summit, the representatives of the various stakeholders worked out what homework they need to do quickly and which examples of best practice are exemplary in the field of humanitarian logistics. Representatives from International Medical Corps, winner of the Lynn C. Fritz Medal for Excellence in Humanitarian Logistics 2023, reported on the use of their self-developed software Pharmaceutical Information Management System (PIMS). The organisation from the USA thus achieved a milestone in managing the last mile in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The use of the tool not only brings deep transparency to the supply chain in 16 countries, but also saves a great deal of time for medical staff, pharmacies and patients.
According to Thilo Jörgl, conference director of ConnectChains, humanitarian organisations and their partners are faced with the "Herculean task of having to work on many problems at the same time despite increasingly difficult framework conditions." The conference impressively demonstrated the urgent need for action.
