At the opening of the summit, Lojider President Dr. Kayıhan Özdemir Turan stated, "With the vision bequeathed to us by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, we first dreamed and then worked hard to prepare this congress. We are confident that it will be a source of new insights and beautiful memories for all of you. Logistics is a concept that gains meaning through a series of interrelated services coming together. LojiDer, which brings together all logistics service providers under one roof, was established by companies that produce these services, known as Logistics Services, and is a first for our logistics sector.

LojiDer members produce all logistics services both nationally and internationally. As of today, there are 325 LojiDer members in 27 provinces across the seven regions of our country. By February 2025, when we hold our General Assembly, we aim to have 500 members from 35 provinces. In 2023, LojiDer members contributed approximately $2.7 billion to the national economy and provided employment for around 15,000 people, with 18% of this workforce being women. Our members employ a total of 28 female drivers.

In February, LojiDer became the first NGO from our country to apply for and be accepted into the European Logistics Association (ELA), which was established 40 years ago and has 22 member logistics associations from different countries. In July, LojiDer also became the first NGO from our country to apply for and be accepted into TAPA, an organization that has been setting standards and certifications for the transportation of valuable goods for 27 years, operating in three regions globally. Additionally, on June 28, LojiDer became the first NGO from our country to apply for and be accepted into the Union of Logistics Centers and Cargo Carriers established under TDT. LojiDer also became the first NGO to hold a seat in four working groups of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe simultaneously."

Dr. Kayıhan Özdemir Turan also shared information about Lojider's upcoming activities: "In July, we represented our country in online meetings, and in September, we attended physical meetings in Geneva and will continue to do so. In this short period, we participated in congresses, forums, panels, and events held in Portoroz, Baku, Breda, Berlin, Geneva, and Astana as LojiDer. We signed cooperation protocols with the Azerbaijan Customs Brokers and Logistics Companies Association and the Kazakhstan Association of Transport and Logistics Organizations. In the upcoming period, we will sign similar protocols with relevant associations from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Iran.

Logistics education is crucial to preparing the workforce our sector needs, in line with our sector's expectations. For this purpose, we have already signed cooperation protocols with five universities and will continue to sign similar agreements with other universities. After discussions with the Turkish National Agency, LojiDer became the second NGO in the logistics sector to obtain the OID identification number needed for Erasmus+ projects. If our project prepared for 2025 is approved, we will be able to send a total of 25 students from five Vocational and Technical Anatolian High Schools in Istanbul, Bursa, Samsun, Gaziantep, and Mersin to a three-week internship abroad with financial support from the EU. In the spirit of social responsibility, our first support project was carried out at İzmir Ödemiş Zeytinlik Sabahattin Şenocak Primary School with Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University and ARF BIO Renewable Energy Production Inc. In the coming period, we will extend similar support to primary schools in a total of seven regions. We continue to visit exemplary NGOs with sustainable structures and will continue to do so. Lastly, last week, our membership application to the TOBB Logistics Industry Assembly was accepted."

DFDS Deputy General Manager of Marketing, Business Development, and Strategy, Fuat Pamukçu, who sponsored the congress, said, "I am proud to be with you as the main sponsor of LojiDer's first congress. We celebrated our Republic Day on October 29 with joy at home and abroad. We will continue to fulfill this duty by supporting each other, supporting our industry, our country, and the achievements of the Republic. In this panel, we will address important topics, including logistics corridors, the importance of finance, artificial intelligence, and digitalization. As DFDS, we organized the establishment of a sea bridge and the dispatch of two RoRo ships from Istanbul to Hatay to provide first-response support during the earthquake that struck Kahramanmaraş, referred to as the 'century's earthquake' in 2023. I have been involved in the establishment, board memberships, presidencies, high advisory boards, and vice presidencies of many associations, including LojiDer, which I co-founded. I am committed to repaying my debt to my country by serving our nation through civil society, especially in important areas like women's rights, education, and youth. LojiDer is still in its infancy; we are in our first year. Do you know when every association's most challenging time is? Associations are founded with amateur spirit and enthusiasm. The most challenging time comes right after the initial establishment phase. Let us engage in debates and disagreements that will drive us forward, but let them not hinder our unity and solidarity."

Source: Economy Management