The FIA MENA Mobility Council continued to advance its regional development agenda through two important engagements in Paris and Geneva, reinforcing cooperation with the FIA while contributing to international discussions shaping the future of mobility and cross-border travel.

Paris: Strengthening FIA Support for MENA Mobility Development

At the FIA Headquarters in Paris, FIA President H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem met with Essa Hamza, Chairman of the FIA MENA Mobility Council, to review the progress of Mobility Clubs across the Middle East and North Africa and discuss priorities for the next phase of regional development.

The meeting followed the MENA Council gathering held during the FIA Conference in Macau and highlighted the significant progress achieved across the region. Discussions focused particularly on strengthening Club activities in road safety, sustainability and mobility development.

H.E. Ben Sulayem also recognized the work carried out at regional level, including the launch of the MENA Mobility Newsletter and the recent regional road safety awareness campaign, which brought together Member Clubs across MENA and generated strong engagement.

Another important focus was the Unified Arab International Customs Transit Permit and preparations for its introduction, alongside future initiatives resulting from the cooperation agreement between the FIA and the League of Arab States. The meeting reaffirmed the importance of using this cooperation to create new opportunities for FIA Clubs and strengthen mobility services across the region.

H.E. Ben Sulayem reiterated his full support for the MENA Clubs and expressed his appreciation for their growing activities and contribution to FIA initiatives.

Geneva: MENA Engagement in the Future of Digital Cross-Border Mobility

The regional engagement continued in Geneva, where Essa Hamza, President of the Kuwait International Automobile Club, together with Bassam Boufahd from Kuwait Customs and Mohammed Askar, President of the FIA Customs Council, participated in a meeting of experts under Working Party 30 at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

The discussions addressed proposed amendments to the international framework governing the temporary customs admission of vehicles across borders, with particular attention to the transition of the Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) from a paper-based document to a digital system.

Together, the Paris and Geneva engagements demonstrate the growing role of the FIA MENA Mobility Council in connecting regional Club development with FIA priorities and international mobility initiatives, while supporting modernization, safer mobility and more efficient cross-border travel throughout the region.