FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, has confirmed Addis Ababa as the host city for its World Congress 2027.

The confirmation puts the Ethiopian capital on the industry calendar three years out. FIATA's World Congress is the federation's flagship annual gathering, drawing member associations and freight forwarding executives from across its global network. Air Cargo Week reported the venue decision.

Why Addis Ababa?

The choice lands the 2027 congress in one of Africa's most active air cargo markets. Addis Ababa serves as the hub of Ethiopian Airlines Cargo, the continent's largest cargo operator by network reach. The city also hosts the African Union headquarters, reinforcing its position as a diplomatic and logistical center.

Ethiopian authorities have spent the past decade expanding cargo infrastructure at Bole International Airport, including dedicated freighter terminals. Hosting FIATA's congress in 2027 aligns with that capacity build-out.

What does this change for forwarders?

For FIATA members, the decision sets the date and destination for the 2027 general meeting, training sessions and industry networking that anchor the congress format. For East African logistics players, it places a global forwarder audience on their home ground.

The announcement itself is procedural. FIATA has not yet published the congress dates, venue details or registration framework for 2027. Those specifics typically follow host-city confirmation by one to two years.

A pattern worth noting

FIATA congresses have rotated across regions in recent cycles, with bids evaluated by the federation's leadership against venue capacity, connectivity and host association support. The 2027 selection continues that rotation into East Africa.

What the federation has not disclosed is the vote tally, competing bids or the financial terms struck with the Ethiopian hosts. Air Cargo Week's report confirms the destination only.

What comes next

Expect FIATA to release the 2027 congress program, dates and host committee details ahead of its intervening 2025 and 2026 editions. The Addis Ababa congress will offer a measure of East Africa's weight in global freight forwarding — three years from now.