17 October 2022
The biennial Africa Supply Chain in Action (ASCA) event will be held under the theme “Borderless – Unleashing Africa’s Potential.” It aims to grow and strengthen African economies through optimised, localised supply chains.
ASCA is Africa’s largest online event for supply chain and procurement professionals. It was launched in response to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s impact on supply chains, when leading industry organisations Smart Procurement World and SAPICS (The Professional Body for Supply Chain Management) joined forces to create a powerful knowledge sharing, networking and skills development platform.
“Our aim was to strengthen supply chains across the continent and help our profession to adapt to the fundamental shift in supply chain during the pandemic,” explains ASCA co-chair and Smart Procurement World chief operating officer Debbie Tagg. “More than two years later, in the wake of the pandemic and several other supply chain disruptions, ASCA is as important as ever,” she stresses.
“There is growing global recognition and understanding of the importance of supply chains and supply chain management. The biennial ASCA event offers the continent’s supply chain and procurement community the opportunity to continue to work together so that we can ensure that we bring the best skills, strategies and our own world class solutions to drive Africa into the new world. ASCA is committed to growing and strengthening the powerful platform that we have built for all supply chain and procurement bodies, practitioners and the industry’s thought leaders to come together. This is Africa’s time to rise.”
Tagg notes that there are significant advantages to hosting the ASCA gathering online. “This virtual event translates into virtually boundless collaboration for our community. There are no location limitations. ASCA is cost effective and time efficient. All supply chain and procurement practitioners can join ASCA from across the continent, no matter who they are, where they are from and what their level of expertise is. ASCA is constantly looking for new ways to reduce learning barriers for Africa’s supply chain professionals.”
Jenny Froome, ASCA co-chair and chief operating officer of SAPICS, echoes this. “This event is so important as it enables individuals from around the continent and the world to connect in a timely and cost-effective way. We all know that travel within Africa is often complex and expensive.”
Froome says that ASCA enables invaluable cooperation and collaboration between African businesses. “In Africa we must work better together. We must stop looking to the East and to the West for solutions when we have them so much closer to home,” she stresses. “ASCA offers an exceptional online platform and an opportunity for the African supply chain and procurement community to learn and meet new colleagues and reconnect with existing ones who are simply too far away to meet up with face-to-face. Africa must continue its rise and efficient supply chains are the backbone of this potential,” she asserts.
The “Made in Africa” Conference and Expo will run alongside the biennial ASCA event. Made in Africa is a virtual gathering of and showcase for African buyers and sellers. “Hosting Made in Africa alongside ASCA will add enormous value for all attendees and offer exceptional market linkage opportunities for African businesses,” Tagg contends.
The biennial ASCA event takes place on 14 and 15 March 2023, followed by the Made in Africa Conference and Expo on 16 March 2023.
This year’s Platinum sponsor of ASCA is Dooka. Commenting on the sponsorship, Dooka CEO Toby Sparrow says that at a time when supply chains around the world are under strain, it is exciting for the organisation to be part of an event where the best minds come together to find innovative supply chain solutions for businesses across Africa. “Dooka is all about revolutionising and modernising the way that businesses buy goods and services across Africa. ASCA is the perfect place for us to be to share our thoughts and ideas with Africa’s supply chain leaders,” he adds.
Be part of the borderless movement. Apply to be an ambassador for the Africa Supply Chain in Action event and make sure we leave no professional behind. Visit the website to learn more about becoming an ambassador www.africainaction.com
To find out more about the event or to register to attend or exhibit at Africa Supply
Chain in Action (ASCA) 2023, contact Keshni Reddy or Tonya Lamb on keshni@smartprocurement.net or tonya@sapics.org.za
PHOTO CAPTION:
Jenny Froome, ASCA co-chair and chief operating officer of SAPICS.
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ABOUT SMART PROCUREMENT WORLD:
Smart Procurement World (SPW) is the largest professional development event for procurement and inbound supply chain, supported and endorsed by industry professional bodies. SPW also achieves professional development for procurement and supply chain professionals while achieving economic development objectives in each region through enterprise, supplier development linking small business to supply chain.
Contact info@smartprocurementworld.com for event inquiries.
ABOUT SAPICS: http://www.sapics.org
SAPICS’s mission is to elevate, educate and empower the community of supply chain professionals across Africa.
Since its foundation in 1966, SAPICS, The Professional Body for Supply Chain Management, has become the leading provider of knowledge in supply chain management, production and operations in Southern Africa. SAPICS builds operations management excellence in individuals and enterprises through superior education and training, internationally recognised certifications, comprehensive resources and a country-wide community of accomplished industry professionals. This community is ever expanding and now includes a multitude of associates in other African countries as well as around the globe. SAPICS is proud to represent the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) as its exclusive premier channel partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tel: +27 (0) 11 023 6701
Email: clare@upavon.co.za
