Hosted by Sharjah Airport Authority and organised by Airport Council International (ACI), this is the fourth time Sharjah airport has hosted such an event, which is organised once every two years.

The conference brings together some 400 delegates representing leading airline, airports and the freight industry, including shippers, consignees, freight forwarders and sea-air brokers from all parts of the world. The event will feature eminent speakers, selected internationally from all sectors of the industry.

``In hosting this event in association with the Airports Council International, the world organisers for airports, we hope to bring global focus on the cargo industry,'' said Dr Ghanem Al Hajri, Director General of Sharjah Airport Authority.

The exhibition will beopen to all participating companies from the UAE and the Gulf region. This is meant to provide an opportunity for the cargo industries in the Middle East to show case their products and services to the global cargo industry.

Sharjah Airport Authority, recently named number one in the Middle East according to ACI statistical regions for cargo in 1997, will demonstrate its system and reveal how it created its success.

Airports Council International (ACI) represents the world's airports. It was established in 1991 with the merger of the Airport Operators Council International (AOCI), the International Civil Airports Association (ICAA) and their umbrella body, the Airport Associations Co-ordinating Council (AACC).