• Business decision-makers across thecontinent recognize DHL Global Forwarding's excellence in air cargo services
• DHL Global Forwarding remains highlycommitted to support intra-regional growth and to bolster trade between Africaand the world

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - MediaOutReach - 22 February 2019 - DHL Global Forwarding, the leading internationalprovider of air, sea and road freight services, has once again been voted Africa'sInternational Freight Forwarder of the Year for 2019, by readers of STAT Times,an international air freight publication for business decision-makers in theshipping, transport, aviation and tourism sectors. This is the fifthconsecutive time DHL Global Forwarding has won in this biennial award forexcellence in air cargo, presented during the Gala Award Nite on February 20,2019, as part of the Air Cargo Africa 2019 conference held in Johannesburg.

Ivin George, VP, Airfreight and Customs Brokerage, DHL Global Forwarding, MEA receiving the award

The latest DHL GlobalConnectedness Index, which measures the flows of internal trade, capital,information and people between different countries, recently ranked the MiddleEast and North Africa as the world's third most connected region after Europe andNorth America.

Amadou Diallo, CEO, DHLGlobal Forwarding, Middle East and Africa said, "Having operated here for thepast four decades, Africa remains an immensely important market for us in lightof its tremendous growth opportunity. With our extensive global network, we arecommitted to growing our customers' business, expanding their reach beyond thecontinent, and to the rest of the world. We will continue to invest in meetinggrowing market demand, amplifying the region's transport infrastructure, andapplying global innovations to the Africa context, with an especial focus onpartnerships like our most recent joint venture with Ethiopia Airlines tobolster Ethiopia's credentials as an intra-regional logistics hub."[1]

Digitization and theadoption of new technologies are also playing a growing role in DHL GlobalForwarding's services and solutions, to cater to consumers' preferences: InAfrica, the continent's mobile adoption is projected to grow seven-fold between2017 and 2022, and potentially add US$300 billion to the continent's GDP by2025, fuelling e-commerce growth.[2]

"This award, and thesupport of the business community that it testifies to, serves to furtherencourage the team at DHL Global Forwarding, said Ivin George, Vice President,Airfreight and Customs Brokerage, DHL Global Forwarding, Middle East andAfrica. 

With the region's economiclandscape growth attributed to a young urbanizing population as well as growingstrength in primary industries like agriculture, an integrated logisticsnetwork will play an integral role in supporting Africa's economic growth."Africa is fast gaining global attention for its high-quality primary producelike flowers, vegetables, fruits and fish, with countries like Kenya and Ghanaranking as some of the top agricultural exporters to US and Europe[3][4]and we are eager to work with our customers to capitalize on theseopportunities," George added.

DHL -- The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL familyof divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging fromnational and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillmentsolutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrialsupply chain management. With about 360,000 employees in more than 220countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businessessecurely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutionsfor growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences andhealthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporateresponsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL isdecisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".

DHL is part ofDeutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 60 billioneuros in 2017.