Interview Exclusive de Alassane MARE : Directeur Régional de DHL Global Forwarding Afrique Centrale

In my opinion, persistence leads to success.

Before assuming the position of Director of Operations, I took on several roles – I was Director of Sales, Director of Air Freight and Director of Ocean Freight. Over the years, these different positions allowed me to understand the logistics industry as a whole.

The first explanation is the rigor that I impose on myself but also on my respective teams. This rigor is anchored on values ​​such as ethics, professional conduct, fairness and proactivity to name a few. The second is that I try to put the right men in the right place in all objectivity and make sure I always set the perfect example. This is what has helped me achieve the outcome today.

Become the undisputed leader of "Freight Forwarding" in Africa and mark our indelible mark in the sector through digitalization. We are committed to delivering the best customer-centric solutions for our customers, setting us apart from the competition.

• ESP,
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There is an enormous potential but we need to overcome logistical challenges.

Overall, it should be emphasized that Cameroon is the natural hub of the sub-region with one of the sea gates of Central Africa which constitutes an entry point for several landlocked countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic. Cameroonian territory is crossed by several international corridors such as:

• Lagos-Mombasa
• Tripoli-Cape Town,
• Douala-Ndjamena
• Douala-Bangui.

The Douala-Ndjamena and Douala-Bangui corridors are today the main axes of trade for foreign trade in Chad and the Central African Republic. In fact, 90% of Chadian transit and 98% of Central African transit use these channels.

Despite this major asset, Cameroon is impacted by the quality of its infrastructure. Transport logistics potential remains very low and transit times at the Port of Douala remain very long with logistics costs among the highest in Africa. We are hoping for ease of congestion with the opening of the Port of Kribi.

- Source : Investir au Cameroun

The problems are not in the same order. The first challenge is the price of transport.

The official price of transport from Douala to Ndjamena is 3.9 million FCFA (1,800 km) and that from Douala to Bangui at 3.4 million FCFA. (1400 km).

Here, we are talking about the equivalent of the Dakar to Bamako distance where the fare is 1.5 million.

Then there are the checkpoints along the way with procedures that change constantly.

In addition, the National Land Freight Management Office or BGFT and the Central African Chartering Office or BARC should regulate transport in the sub-region but face non-compliance with the rules established by the carriers.

However, cumbersome administrative and customs burdens are obstacles to the expansion of transport in Central Africa.

The quality of the roads is often the cause of accidents along the route and mentalities differ between the two countries.

• Source : Platforme des organisations professionnelles des transports routiers du Cameroun

For me, Africa must be developed by Africans and good experience must be shared.

By the grace of God, I was able to build a strong team in Cameroon in less than a year and now, the business has only grown from strength to strength. I think I did what I had to do and for me it was time to give someone else a chance. Véronique Ebène has taken over and she benefits from my total confidence.

Gabon is a country with great potential and you will agree with me that to develop a team there, you have to be there. On the side of Port Gentil, the oil sector is experiencing an economic boom favorable to the deployment of DHL Global Forwarding and "It's definitely time for Gabon, our time to shine"

On the other side of Libreville, the opportunities are enormous and diverse from Mouanda, Mouilla and the economic zone of Nkok. So many opportunities that require the presence of experts in the field in order to provide logistics solutions tailored to the needs of local customers.

The only secret is work, there is nothing else. Therefore, it was extremely rewarding for me and the team that we were presented with four awards at our own global conference.

What do you think of the Africa Logistics Magazine?

You will allow me to thank my family for their unfailing support, my friends, my colleagues and all those who contributed directly or indirectly to this success.

ALM is the flagship of Senegalese magazines and your contribution in the logistics sector is immeasurable. ALM is indeed a Senegalese initiative that inspires thousands of young logisticians on a daily basis. Bringing Senegalese experts to the fore is undoubtedly a source of motivation for future generations.