Rethinking the Supply Chain: Sustainability and Operational Efficiency – The 2nd Edition of the International Logistics Conference (ILC 25) Delivers on Its Promises

From December 10 to 11, 2025, the Faculty of Medicine & Pharmacy of Oujda, Morocco, hosted the second edition of the International Logistics Conference (ILC 25). This major scientific and professional event confirmed the strategic role of logistics in territorial, economic, and sustainable development dynamics.

Held under the theme “Rethinking the Supply Chain: Sustainability and Operational Efficiency,” this edition brought together public decision-makers, academics, professionals, national and international experts, as well as a strong mobilization of the student community.

A Strong Institutional Opening

The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of high-level personalities, reflecting the growing interest in logistics as a lever for national transformation. Notable attendees included:

• Mr. Abdelaali Kaaouachi, Director of the National School of Commerce and Management (ENCG) Oujda

• Mr. Mhamed Atfaoui, Wali of the Oriental Region, Governor of the Oujda-Angad Prefecture

• Mr. Mohamed Bouarourou, President of the Regional Council

• Mr. Mohamed Mbarki, Director General of the Oriental Development Agency

• Mr. Nabil Hamnich, Regional Directorate of AL BARID BANK

• Mr. Yassine Zarhloule, President of Mohammed First University of Oujda

• Ms. Lydie Ekambi, Representative of the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon to the Kingdom of Morocco

In her opening address, Ms. Rhizlane Benrezzouq, Professor of Higher Education at ENCG Oujda, President of the Moroccan Association of Logistics and Transport (AMLT), and organizer of the congress, emphasized that logistics lies at the heart of the Kingdom’s National Project. She recalled that this sector is a true engine of development for the Oriental region and fully aligns with the State’s strategic orientations toward a fairer, more attractive, and more integrated Morocco. According to her, the chosen theme is neither theoretical nor circumstantial, but fundamentally structural.

Logistics as a Tool for Territorial Development

In his speech, Mr. Mohamed Mbarki invited specialists and decision-makers to position logistics as a central pillar of territorial development.

For his part, Professor Abdesslam Chraibi, Professor at ENCG Tangier and Director of the CED at Abdelmalek Essaadi University, recalled that the primary objective of the ILC is to strengthen cooperation between academics, professionals, operators, and logistics stakeholders in order to collectively address current and future supply chain challenges.

Rich Themes at the Crossroads of Global Challenges

Over the two days, numerous high-level presentations were delivered by national and international speakers from diverse disciplines. Topics included:

• Geopolitics of the Supply Chain and State Strategy, by Mr. Mohamed BENMOUSSA

• Greening the Supply Chain in the Travel and Tourism Sector and the Role of Environmental Management Practices, by Mr. Nasser JAMALKHAN

• At the Heart of the Flow: Mobilizing Teams to Transform the Hospital, by Ms. Rim AMRANI

• Intelligence Serving Sustainability: A Forward-Looking Analysis of Logistics Technologies, by Mr. Badr BENTALHA

• PortNet as a Lever for Accelerating Collective Intelligence for the Competitiveness of the Logistics Ecosystem and Foreign Trade, by Mr. Adil NASSER

• Rethinking Flows: Toward a Philosophy of the Supply Chain in the Era of Systemic Vulnerabilities, by Ms. Housni Zbaghdi

• LLMs: Functioning and Applications in the Supply Chain, by Mr. Toumi BOUCHENTOUF

• Logistics and Sustainability in Africa: CSR/CSO in the Logistics Sector, by Mr. Bertin Léopold KOUAYEP

• Toward a New Poetics of Logistics Architecture, by Mr. Hakim Boulouiz

• Morocco’s Strategic Contribution to Logistics and Port Development in Africa: Cooperation, Business, and Investment, by Ms. Pascaline ODOUBOUROU

• Digitalization of Customs and Port Processes: What Legal Challenges?, by Ms. Kaoutar MERBOUH

• Technologies & Logistics: The Driving Duo of the Supply Chain of the Future, by Mr. Chafik BENSFIA

Specialized and Interactive Workshops

Parallel workshops were also held around key themes such as:

• Artificial Intelligence and Big Data

• Sustainable Supply Chain & Circular Economy

• Port and Territorial Logistics & International Trade

• Strategy, Governance & Performance

• Marketing, Distribution & Urban Logistics

• Control, Information Systems, Blockchain & Traceability

• Societal, Geopolitical & Sectoral Challenges

A structuring moment of the second day was a parallel session dedicated to the General Assembly for the creation of SMART-LOG (Moroccan Society for Research and Innovation in Logistics), reinforcing the congress’s ambition to sustainably unite logistics research and innovation in Morocco.

Strong Academic and Student Engagement

The massive participation of students from all disciplines—PhD candidates, PhD holders, engineers, and future professionals—brought a particular dynamism to the congress. Their active involvement in debates and workshops highlighted the growing interest of young people in logistics and sustainable supply chain careers.

A Convivial and Promising Closing

ILC 25 concluded with a closing dinner held in a friendly atmosphere conducive to informal exchanges, paving the way for new collaborations, research projects, and joint initiatives.

Through its scale, the quality of its contributions, and the diversity of its participants, this second edition of the International Logistics Congress confirmed Oujda as a key hub for reflection, innovation, and dialogue on today’s and tomorrow’s logistics challenges.