Etihad Cargo to Establish Abu Dhabi-Brussels Pharma Air Corridor

Abu Dhabi has set its sights on Belgium, as a leading global pharmaceutical hub, to establish a global distribution corridor to serve the world in vaccine delivery and future life science needs.

The collaboration builds on the capabilities of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector as a leading life sciences hub and the efforts of the HOPE Consortium in providing vaccine solutions for the world.

This initiative entailed a delegation visit from Belgium to Abu Dhabi, hosted by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).

The visit saw the signing of two declarations of collaboration between Belgium and Abu Dhabi, Witnessed by HE Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH and HE. Peter CLAES, Ambassador of Belgium in the UAE.

The first agreement was between the HOPE Consortium, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), Brussels Airport Company and Pharma.Aero. Led by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, the collaboration aims to establish a fully compliant origin-to-destination pharma air corridor between Abu Dhabi and Brussels Airports.

The dedicated pharma trade lane will unite key compliant and sector certified supply chain stakeholders, including forwarders and ground handling agents.

HE Dr Jamal Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi commented: “Our goal is to enhance Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a world-class pharma logistics hub and a destination focused on global welfare by investing in strategic public and private sector collaborations, and the allocation of expertise and resources.”

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Earlier this year, a delegation from the HOPE Consortium met with pharmaceutical industry stakeholders in Brussels to showcase Abu Dhabi’s global vaccine distribution success.

Thanks to its network of partners, the HOPE Consortium has handled over 200 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, contributing to vaccination programmes in over 40 global destinations.

Western Europe currently ranks as the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical export market with a total export value of nearly EUR 42 billion in 2020.

Nathan De Valck, head of cargo at Brussels Airport said: “Brussels Airport is the leading hub serving the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry in Europe with over 750 million vaccines handled at the airport, serving 60 destinations worldwide.”

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Chairman of the HOPE Consortium Executive Committee and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, added that the proactive sharing of knowledge and expertise among stakeholders remains vital to the partnership’s ongoing success.

He said: “The HOPE Consortium is pleased to collaborate in the development of a fully compliant origin-to-destination pharma air corridor between Abu Dhabi and Belgium.

"This milestone agreement will help strengthen our mutual relationship and allow us to achieve our government’s vision of establishing our emirate as a life sciences hub serving the region and the world.

"We are also pleased to collaborate with Antwerp University, Khalifa University, and Pharma.Aero in supporting the Masterclass taking place next year."

The development of the dedicated Pharma Air Corridor will leverage API-IoT devices-webforms-internet shared with all relevant stakeholders to monitor pharma shipments closely.

The other declaration of collaboration was signed by the HOPE Consortium, Pharma.Aero, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the University of Antwerp to host the second edition of the “Pharma Logistics Masterclass”.

The course is focused on critical challenges and developments in pharma supply chains and logistics, by Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi from 5th to 9th September 2022.

H.E. Peter Claes, Belgium’s Ambassador to the UAE, added: “Abu Dhabi has developed into a world hub for the distribution of pharmaceuticals. The emirate has done so in close cooperation and synergy with Brussels Airport.

"I am therefore pleased to know that at the invitation of Pharma.Aero and its partners, distinguished executives of the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Etihad and Rafed participated in the 1st International Masterclass on Pharma Logistics, held in Antwerp in September.”

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