“Fake medicines kill almost 500,000 sub-Saharan Africans every year,” was the shocking statistic presented at TIACA’s Air Cargo Forum in Abu Dhabi in NOV25, when Glyn Hughes and Frank van Gelder talked about The Food and Farm for Health project. TIACA and Pharma.Aero have now published their White Paper on the topic, which warns that structural imbalances in global air cargo are restricting access to essential medicines and limiting Africa’s export potential. The ‘Food and Farm for Health’ report shows that Sub-Saharan Africa receives just 2% of global cargo capacity, despite exponential growth in population and pharmaceutical demand. Up to 90% of critical medicines (such as perishable vaccines and life-saving therapies) require air logistics for safe delivery, yet limited capacity hinders both healthcare delivery and limits the continent’s agricultural export capabilities.
Based on a decade of research, the study calls for coordinated action to expand Africa’s bidirectional air freight flows. Strengthening air cargo connectivity could boost rural incomes, improve medicine access, and enhance global supply chain resilience. Not to mention, avoid the distribution of fake medicines, which becomes a problem if real medicines are not adequately available. The paper is targeted at airlines, airports, freight forwarders, pharma companies, governments and economic agencies.
Frank Van Gelder, Secretary General of Pharma.Aero and project coordinator, revealed: “When we launched the Food and Farm for Health project, our aim was to understand the true power the air cargo industry could bring to both economic development and healthcare accessibility. Very quickly, our research pointed to Sub-Saharan Africa, where only 2% of global air cargo capacity is allocated. This imbalance limits access to essential medicines in a region where demand is accelerating, and it equally limits the continent’s ability to scale agricultural exports. By offering more air cargo capacity, we unlock a dual opportunity: helping Africa grow stronger local economies and ensuring healthcare products reach the populations that need them most. Today, other global players, particularly China and India, are already investing heavily in these trade lanes. If we fail to act, we risk missing not only an economic opportunity, but also the chance to meaningfully support the growth and health resilience of one of the world’s most dynamic regions.”
Glyn Hughes, Director General of The International Air Cargo Association, added: “This White Paper is a wake-up call. Sub-Saharan Africa receives just 2% of global air cargo capacity yet depends on airfreight for the majority of its essential medicines and for moving high-value agricultural products to world markets. These limitations are not just operational; they impact lives, livelihoods, and long-term development. Strengthening air cargo links between Europe and Africa is a clear opportunity to improve healthcare access, boost rural incomes, and build more resilient supply chains. But we can only achieve this through coordinated, cross-industry action. The time to act is now.”
