The newest Pharma.Aero podcast episode – The 2% Problem and Air Cargo’s Untapped Power – examines a critical imbalance in global logistics: although Sub-Saharan Africa is home to approximately 1.6 billion people, the region receives only 2% of worldwide air cargo capacity, with significant implications for trade development and access to essential healthcare.
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This episode explores one of the most pressing and overlooked challenges in global health logistics: the fact that only 2% of the world’s air cargo capacity serves Sub-Saharan Africa, a region home to 1.6 billion people.
Pharma.Aero Secretary General Frank Van Gelder sits down with Glyn Hughes, Director General of TIACA, The International Air Cargo Association, and discusses how the lack of cargo capacity directly affects access to essential medicines, vaccines, and economic opportunities. Hughes reflects on the pandemic’s stark lessons, where grounded aircraft and diverted capacity limited vaccine availability and, in some cases, cost lives.
Together, they examine how agriculture, perishables, pharmaceuticals, and logistics remain siloed, despite being deeply interconnected. They discuss the rise of counterfeit medicines, shifting trade flows, and the structural barriers that prevent safe, high-value cargo from reaching the people who need it most.
The episode also points forward: why cross-industry action is essential, why global institutions must engage, and how air cargo holds untapped power to improve lives—if capacity, collaboration, and investment are realigned towards health equity and sustainable development.
A data-driven conversation that broadens the lens on air cargo’s role—from commerce facilitator to lifeline for millions.
Recorded during the TIACA Air Cargo Forum in Abu Dhabi, the episode features a discussion between Glyn Hughes, Director General of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), and Frank Van Gelder, Secretary General of Pharma.Aero. The conversation builds on initial findings from Pharma.Aero’s Food & Farm for Health project, which investigates how air cargo networks support or restrict economic growth, pharmaceutical distribution, and supply chain resilience across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Key Insights
- Growing divergence between trade flows and public health needs
- Impact of capacity constraints on the movement of vaccines and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals
- Importance of supply chain integrity in addressing counterfeit medicines
- Shifting capacity patterns driven by e-commerce and changing markets
- The need for closer alignment between agriculture, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and policy stakeholders
While the 2% capacity figure illustrates a profound challenge, the discussion also highlights a significant opportunity. Strengthening air cargo connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa could generate substantial economic value, expand reliable access to healthcare products, and build more resilient supply chains with long-term benefits for both industry and communities.
Pharma.Aero and TIACA emphasize that addressing this issue requires collaboration across sectors and regions. The insights shared in this episode aim to support a broader industry dialogue on how air cargo can play a more strategic role in improving health outcomes and enabling sustainable development.
Food & Farm for Health is a joint project Pharma.Aero & The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and builds upon Pharma.Aero’s experience in executing collaborative initiatives within the global logistics and healthcare sectors. This project is initiated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with four strategic partners: TIACA, The Humanitarian Logistics Association (HLA), the Cool Chain Association (CCA), and Fairmiles – reinforcing our commitment to fostering innovation in pharmaceutical and perishable logistics.
Pharma.Aero Podcasts
The Pharma.Aero Insights podcast series brings together industry leaders, academics, and innovators to explore the trends shaping the future of pharmaceutical logistics. Each episode dives into real-world challenges and collaborative solutions across global healthcare supply chains — from advanced therapies and digitalization to sustainability and geopolitical change.
Catch up on previous episodes: Podcasts – Pharma.Aero