Ever since its inception in 2004 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition – DIHAD has proudly embarked on a humanitarian journey – making a real difference on people’s lives and promoting UAE’s standing as a global leader in the field of humanitarian aid and development.

While many countries in Africa continue to face major challenges from violent conflicts, poverty, unemployment and negative effects of climate change, and with the sudden spread of the COVID 19 pandemic, which undoubtedly increased the burden on all humanitarian and charitable organizations and slowed down the efforts of some bodies to deliver humanitarian relief in light of such a crisis, there has never been a more conducive time to focus our attention on the humanitarian response to such crises and explore viable solutions to tackle these issues. Therefore, I am extremely delighted to announce that the 17th edition of DIHAD will be held this year under the theme ‘Aid and Coronavirus, a focus on Africa’ where we will shed light on the problems and crises caused by the outbreak of the COVID 19 in Africa – the continent which is a global hub for the largest aid and development organizations in the world.
There is no doubt that the emerging Corona virus had a great impact on the economy and resources of countries around the world. The effects of this pandemic caused a health crisis and shock in countries with strong health systems but its impact was deeper and greater in countries with limited medical resources and capabilities such as a number of African countries.
The UAE leaders and its people have always been known for their generous humanitarian work, as the country believes that goodness is greater when its wider and more comprehensive. Thus, at DIHAD, we aim to establish an ideal platform to address the most pressing needs of people living in oppression in many African countries, while attracting local and international assistance programs and awareness campaigns by leading aid organizations to achieve prosperity in the ‘humanitarian continent’.

In order to achieve this, DIHAD 2021 will bring together this year the biggest donors, concerned actors, major UAE based charities and foundations like Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the Dubai Future Council on Humanitarian Aid, the Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department, the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, the United Nations, Dubai Cares and International Humanitarian City, in addition to international bodies like Red Crescent and Red Cross Movements, NGOs, IMF, OECD, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other entities to further explore the most urgent needs of people facing huge humanitarian challenges in Africa and to benefit from their experiences and expertise in different fields.>>>Read More

Much has been said and written – this before the Coronavirus pandemic – about the role of Aid in Africa; a variety of recipes and perspectives for the sustainable development of this vast continent, home to some 1.3 billion people, in 54 countries. What has actually been learnt from past successes and failures? And what roles do the volume and type of aid play in Africa’s trajectory towards progress? Financial flows in and out of Africa are a central part of the debate. According to the OECD, Africa receives the lion’s share of Official Development Assistance (ODA) – some 50 billion US dollars or a third of all global ODA (the main donors including the USA, EU institutions, the World Bank and the UAE). There are questions about channels, participation, conditions, priorities, oversight and accountability, inter alia. A key question is whether debt payments and so-called « repatriated profits » outweigh incoming aid and remittances. In any case, the debate often remains somewhat theoretical, omitting to address the specificities of individual countries and situations.

Humanitarian aid in the context of conflicts and disasters, to which the continent is much prone, continues to be essential and on the whole effective, even if insufficient. Africa’s conflicts have profound adverse effects on the development of the countries concerned and the region as a whole. They lead to forced migration, long-term refugee situations and internal displacement, the destruction of infrastructure and the deterioration of social, political and economic institutions. In these critical situations, some seemingly endless, aid is mostly basic and aimed at the victims of war. Assistance in support of the eradication of poverty, an equitable distribution of resources, the promotion of rule of law and fundamental human rights, education and employment is very much beyond the immediate horizon.

Then there is climate change, and its repercussions on the African continent. These range from extreme heat events and increasing aridity to changes in rainfall patterns and floods; a higher frequency and a greater impact of a variety of weather-related disasters for which few nations are adequately prepared. Already high rates of undernutrition can be expected to increase and agricultural livelihoods to be adversely affected, thereby further accelerating the significant urbanization trend in the region. >>>Read More