By : Mohamed Elkholy
7 French companies will take part in the 18th edition of the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD) exhibition to be held at Dubai World Trade Center from 14 to 16 March 2022. This 3 day-event aims at enhancing the knowledge that humanitarian and development actors have about each other, in order to encourage collaboration and further reinforce the effective delivery of humanitarian and development aid worldwide.
Considered as a key stage where world's humanitarian leaders gather and discuss on a specific agenda based on humanitarian crisis and its solutions, the 18th edition of DIHAD is scheduled under the theme“SDG 17, Partnerships and Co-operation for Sustainable Development”, the seventeenth and final objective of the 2030 Agenda adopted by the 193 UN Member States in 2015. This year’s focus couldn’t be timelier as strong international cooperation is needed now more than ever considering the impacts of the pandemic and the recent report made public by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that warns about accelerated impacts of global warming. Thus, building partnerships and joining forces are needed more than ever, especially because they have always been instrumental to the success of international humanitarian actions and development assistance.
In line with this roadmap, the French exhibiting companies are fully bringing advanced concrete solutions to sharpen and accelerate global response to crisis-affected communities. France brings on board a select delegation of exhibitors willing to empower Dubai Humanitarian Initiatives. The French participating companies include a world leader in transport and logistics offering sustainable supply chain solutions; the official and exclusive supplier of the French Navy (aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle), a manufacturer of mobile machines that use no water and create no waste products, a manufacturer of sustainable ready-to-use nutrition solutions for the treatment and prevention of malnutrition using local agricultural resources; “off-grid” lamps and solar kits to respond to the problem of rural electrification in Africa; the designer of a sustainable airship, the LCA60T, able to load and unload up to 60 tonnes of cargo in hover mode with no ground infrastructure; a manufacturer of mechanical infusion compressor that operates with no external energy, facilitating infusion in chaotic environments, and finally a start-up behind the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, committed to food aid via its hi-tech solution.
Solidarity at the heart of France's external action
Since the start of his five-year term, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, has acted to increase public aid for the development of France to 0.55% of national income, which is expected to make France one of the top three European donors and one of the top five global humanitarian action donors by increasing its total contributions to almost €500 million.
“Our objectives are clear: bringing value to the UAE regional humanitarian hub initiative for the distribution of humanitarian aid globally, strengthening our relationship with local and international NGO’s, humanitarian providers, companies, suppliers, and international brands from all parts of the world gathered during DIHAD exhibition and supporting the 7 French Exhibiting companies in strengthening ties. During this 3-Day event, French innovative solutions will be showcased in the fields of health, waste management, energy, telecommunications, and green transportation in line with this year’s focus on sustainable development. Thus, DIHAD provides a unique opportunity for French companies to meet and network with top humanitarian leaders to seize new opportunities to help support communities affected by crisis and the pandemic all over the world. Dubai is of strategic importance for us to reconnect with key decision-makers and bring technological, ease of access and sustainable solutions that will benefit people in need”. commented Frederic Szabo, Managing Director at Business France Middle East According to the global humanitarian overview 2022 published by the UN, 274 million people are dependent upon humanitarian aid, 100 million face severe food shortages, and an unprecedented number of people are fleeing violence, persecution or droughts exacerbated by climate change, and more than half of these populations are in Africa and the Middle East. Hence, the importance of such a gathering given the ongoing situation in Ukraine where according to UN estimates, 12 million additional people will need relief and more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees may need help in neighbouring countries in the coming months.
French humanitarian-focused entities will then be able to meet and pool with key decision-makers from NGOs, UN agencies, charities, and leading government agencies to provide operational support to emergency situations
In just a few years, DIHAD has managed to establish itself as the largest trade show in the field of international aid and development. Its strategic location in Dubai, a global logistics platform for the distribution of humanitarian aid, makes it a benchmark event in the sector, for France and the rest of the world.
