Day 1: 23 April 2024

OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE

In his introduction to the Conference, Mr. Tariq AlMadani, Master of Ceremony, described the history of DIHAD since its inception in 2004, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. DIHAD fosters connections with humanitarian aid and development, with a Conference programme aiming at a brighter future for all. Since the inception, 16,000 participants representing over 900 organisations and the private sector had attended. He extended a welcome on behalf of H.E. Amb. Dr. Abdulsalam AlMadani to the 20th edition of DIHAD, celebrating a shared history with challenges and unwavering commitment to bring aid to the helpless.

A brief video showed the many speakers at the DIHAD conference over the years and the DIHAD welfare activities in crises, disasters and wars.

Under auspices of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 719 workshops were held by the Waterfalls Initiative, while the DIHAD Humanitarian College offers the world’s first master’s degree in Sustainable Humanitarian Action, in partnership with Spain’s Universidad Cattolica de Murcia (UCAM).  The graduation ceremony of the first two academic years with 63 students from 50 nationalities was to take place during the DIHAD Conference. The DIHAD programme aims at a more peaceful and sustainable world and brighter future for all and the theme of the 20th Session – Humanitarian Diplomacy and a Journey to the Future – is at the heart and soul of DIHAD.

H.E. Nawal Al-Hosany, UAE Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), delivered her opening statement of the ceremony, looking at the future and intertwined rules of the three worlds of humanitarian, development and climate change.

COP28 was foreseen to succeed beyond any doubt, which despite many challenges the UAE did manage through soft power and the UAE consensus of texts, resulting for the first time in an agreement to move away from fossil fuels. Declarations put people at the centre of the climate discourse, making peace a prerequisite for climate relief. The warnings issued by the IPCC were experienced in UAE with more than 140 mm floods – more than the total of a whole year, a manifestation of longer lasting extreme climate events. The social and economic impact of Climate Change may lead to 1.2 billion climate refugees, and the temperature raise predicted by the IPCC will lead to economic loss, damage up to USD 38 trillion per year through 2050, mostly affecting the developing countries in Asia and Africa. It is a snapshot of the future, unless countries undertake active diplomacy, connecting, collaborating and working together. (attachment)

Mr. Mohammad Musabeh Dhahi, Executive Director, Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), Dubai, mentioned that the Department focuses its work on the most vulnerable cases of those in need. The work also uses AI in facilitating operations to have access to the beneficiaries, and it aims at strengthening humanitarian action through organising conferences in UAE and abroad.

H.E. Rashid Mubarak Almansoori, Secretary-General, Emirates Red Crescent Authority (RCA), opined that DIHAD has become a main platform to launch initiatives for longer-term assistance. It provides opportunities to meet and exchange ideas, discuss common humanitarian concerns and draw up a future for humanitarian action. UAE is known for humanitarian giving initiatives, differentiating between what is required and facing humanities for development. There is a moral commitment towards victims of crises and disasters, often leading to displacement also due to health crises. The Conference discusses issues from various angles to limit repercussions of humanitarian crises, to achieve peace and security, and enhance justice and respect for humanitarian principles. It promotes security through humanitarian actions in countries where humanitarian diplomacy can extinguish fires. He referred to the situation in the Gaza strip where tens of thousands of people have lost their lives, and the lack of food and water is disastrous. Relief teams in Gaza have brought over 20,000 MT relief aid, 290 MT of food, and during Ramadan iftar meals. The UAE RCA also runs a hospital for sick and injured and cancer patients, water desalination plants and five bakeries. These efforts will continue thanks to the UAE leadership until this humanitarian crisis is over, strengthening noble principles and trying to implement and provide everything possible to meet targets and aspirations for a better future through good planning and coordination of the DIHAD Conference and side events.

H.E. Amb. Putman-Cramer, CEO of DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Organisation and Chairman of DISAB, made reference to the DIHAD Extraordinary personality award granted to the UN Secretary-General, and in a brief text introduced the same award to H.E. Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, in recognition of his visionary leadership, unwavering dedication and unparalleled commitment, advocacy and relentless efforts to provide essential support to ensure lifesaving aid and promote sustainable solutions.

H.E. Jan Egeland, Secretary-General Norwegian Refugee Council, shared a few words on this occasion. He mentioned the many conflicts in the region and called the situation in 2024 a seminal world. He was concerned that despite more documentation of needs, crises and disasters and Climate Change, the gap between needs and aid and protection available to the affected population has grown and is possibly the biggest in history. While in 2006 around 42 million people were displaced by conflict, their number today probably amounts to 120 million, which is a tripling of unprotected people in 12-13 years.

A reboot of humanitarian diplomacy is needed to be able to provide protection and prevent conflict. It is an outrage that aid agencies cannot provide the necessary protection in the world’s largest displacement camp in Rafah. Or the situation in Ukraine, Sudan, Mali, and other places with increased war with large investments in armaments while millions are hungry.

At this seminal stage in humanitarian work, we need to be the voice of the voiceless who are afraid to be critical, out of fear to lose support. He expressed the hope for Gulf countries to be able to unite with other leading forces in helping to push parties in the cold war to not protract conflicts. It is a challenge not giving up and being energised by the current possibility to unite to give resources and demand protection, access for and assistance to people in need to enable them to help themselves.

Children of DIHAD: students from the School of Creative Sciences talked about humanitarian diplomacy and what it means for the people to get the help they need without a delay, such as protection and shelter and food.

OUTLINE OF THE CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

H.E. Amb. Gerhard Putman-Cramer, CEO, DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation, welcomed the attendees and explained the theme of the event, which was taking place despite the floods. Humanitarian action was the initial concept, while humanitarian diplomacy is declining. Actors are now looking at access, security, Climate Change, new actors, and needed leadership at the crossroads. Innovative new technologies and priorities are under discussion to ensure appropriate use of AI. The Speakers are from a range of backgrounds to come to a roadmap of solutions for the humanitarian needs.

SESSION 1

Humanitarian Diplomacy – Access and Human Security

Panel:

Mr. Fabrizio Carboni, Regional Director, Near and Middle East, ICRC, Chair, stressed that human security is an issue that keeps all humanitarian actors awake at night, the essence of our work to have access to people affected by violence and conflicts. Access is probably one of the most challenging issues today. He introduced the panellists and the different perspectives of humanitarian action and access, an emotional topic as it concerns the variety of humanitarian actors and the exposure to risks such as in Gaza, Sudan and Syria and other settings where humanitarian staff have been killed. Humanitarian but also political actors play a critical role in humanitarian access as do military actors with their objectives and priorities. We have a legal framework for humanitarian access in the law of armed conflict to act in a situation of conflict, but these rules disappear in many situations, to be replaced by the law of the jungle. Any use of force must be proportional, while the burden of access is also to be in line with humanitarian principles, and impartiality in assistance and neutrality. These are challenged through misinformation and hate speech when politics are involved. Neutrality was challenged e.g. in Ukraine, but it should apply even in protection of the enemy. Humanitarian diplomacy is a tool to reach the objectives.

H.E. Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria, wished to amplify the collective voice and love for humanity, preventing it from falling in bad hands. Rules were agreed to avoid exclusion whereas we are now in total denial of the right of protection, existence and access to basic needs. Nowadays, humanitarian diplomacy is challenging the denial in us, it is the basis and needed to avoid and prevent hell. The huge polarisation started with the Ukraine crisis and is now at a crossroads in saving the bodies. Bridging the two components, humanitarian diplomacy is often seen as a means for war as it brings and uses political power to have influence but not for the good. The political agenda and narratives work through a narrow agenda and to avoid the total mess in which the world now exists. Mediation is at the core of humanitarian diplomacy, a standard and common understanding of what needs to be brought back without compromising common values and principles, but the need to deal with harsh challenges. (attachment)

Dr. Michael Koehler, Grand Bargain Ambassador, Former Deputy Director-General DG ECHO, was asked to think of a way how humanitarian diplomacy can be used. Whether the source of the challenges is political or simply a lack of knowledge in the humanitarian circle, resources and security.  He challenged the concept of humanitarian diplomacy, what it means and what does the trick as humanitarian diplomacy would take place at all levels of the action. A certain level of professional relations and preparation for performing diplomatic tasks is needed. Pillars are sound knowledge of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the philosophy behind it, sanctions for violating IHL and humanitarian principles, being able to connect with armed forces, for humanitarian diplomacy to become a tool to better prepare for conflict of priorities and tasks and to ensure there is no conflict without rules.

The question was repeated whether humanitarian diplomacy is just a matter of know-how and skills around humanitarian principles. UN Humanitarian Coordinators have a set of capacities but not necessarily all that are needed. Respect is the crux, together with transparency and honesty and not being pretentious, giving realistic promises in simple wording with open minds. It is also essential to interact with non-state actors in this way, inserting mitigation in disorder. Fake news and propaganda must be countered by local media. Humanitarian diplomacy is a process for which the alliances must be the right ones, shuttling between being a risk taker and being a risk maker.

Hon. Gennaro Migliore, Director, PAM Centre for Global Studies, San Marino, presented the state perspective both as a politician as well as a parliamentarian. In the humanitarian crisis in Gaza the question rises what humanitarian diplomacy is, a tool for emergency actions or a means of prevention of conflicts, but it needs to be turned from a tool into a vision. Accepting collateral casualties if humanitarianism is put at a lower priority, and to push and avoid that humanitarian diplomacy becomes an empty word. It is crucial to take responsibility for victims of terrorism and insist with political leadership not to cut support for humanitarian actions of humanitarian agencies. The question remains how to use all tools that can be brought together in situations of conflict, such as family reunion with new technological means such as AI.

Comments from the floor

  • Is it possible to reconcile war with humanitarian principles coupled with humanitarian activities and contradictions in crisis management?
  • What are the challenges to humanitarian actors to be drawn into a conflict without being able to counter this situation?
  • Neutrality and impartiality vs manipulation of public opinion and propaganda?
  • How is the value of humanitarian diplomacy different from political diplomacy?
  • What alliances are needed to negotiate in conflicts and how?
  • Showing lessons learned and success stories may be contributing to humanitarian diplomacy in conflict situations, and how to define priorities in humanitarian action?
  • Are success stories coalitions with the enemy, humanitarian diplomacy or simply diplomacy?

In response, the Panel philosophised on where the limit lies for humanitarian diplomacy and action to be optimally valuable. Alliances between different skills are important and should not be separate from politics with humanity at the centre.

Education and ethics must be related and not be at the personal interest in the political context. Tools for interaction have become much more powerful, particularly when they are presenting only one side of the voices. Ethics are key in making clear that the purpose of the actions is to help the population, despite personal risks taken.

Coalition is needed as humanitarian diplomacy is representing humanity at large and not just one state; it is a silent process without publishing the steps until the final solution of the conflict.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

“Safe and Secure Aid delivery in a context of increasing risks”

H.E. Gilles Michaud, UN USG for Safety and Security, New York, focused on the latest conflicts over the last years, starting with Sudan, Gaza, and man-made suffering in Myanmar, Eastern DRC and other places where over 235 million people require humanitarian assistance. Statistics represent real human lives, as he remembered horrible experiences illustrating that today’s humanitarian catastrophes will be tomorrow’s development crises. Recently in Myanmar, Gaza and Somalia, focus is on people in need who have lost everything. Humanitarian work is invaluable and meaningful, the truest meaning of humanity, in places of disregard of humanitarian principles. Aid workers have never been more at risk, feeling never as unsafe as in Gaza, but also in other crises. Partnerships and collaboration with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is essential to accompany humanitarian efforts. UNDSS was established in 2003 at the time of the Baghdad attack, focusing on coordination of crises in security and safety of staff. It is active in 130 countries, also addressing failures when not the right capacity is in place or too risk adverse, but it is constrained by financial resources as the UN budget spends 2% on security, whereas risk levels and staff in the field increase.

Partnership requires cultural and operational shifts: engaging to understand the needs and insights of the humanitarian community; adapting approach, building risk tolerance with greater understanding of priorities; integrating service delivery; diversifying workforce and partnership with those who are very experienced in background and problem solving. Some progress has been made, but the road is long to prioritise integration of security and diversification.

In conclusion, the world is more divided than ever, with hardening positions, but brave aid workers on the ground deserve unqualified support and protection.

SESSION 2

“Humanitarian Diplomacy and Climate Change”

Panel:

H.E. Nawal Al-Hosany, UAE Permanent Representative to IRENA, moderated the panel as its Chair and focused on the human challenge posed by the climate crisis. Climate Change is now a reality with very severe and more frequent weather events, not only in UAE but also in Africa and Asia. It is a humanitarian crisis that will require USD 38 trillion up to 2050. According to IPCC, climate change and natural disasters will lead to displacement of up to 1.2 billion people by 2050. It presents a clear call for united action, and at COP28 the need to drive common global action was understood. It presented a message of hope as COP28 put humanity at the heart of the climate discourse, putting the focus on energy projects, including infrastructure as well social stability, and sustainable solutions worldwide, a clear commitment to empower nations to move to a secure future.

Integrating resilience with direct humanitarian action presents an innovative approach to global challenges and leaving a legacy of host countries to have access to renewable energy by 80% by 2030 in several countries. It also an important step to sustainable peace. Financing of climate action is an investment with IRENA and ETAF contributing so far USD 4 million targeting 2030 with global energy. The intervention was ended with a call on all stakeholders to ensure for access to sustainable energy and development becoming a reality. (attachment)

Ms. Corinne Fleischer, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, Northern Africa and Eastern Europe, focused on the deteriorating malnutrition statistics of children in the region in conflict. Climate Change drives more people into hunger than conflict does. Close to 43 million people in the MENA region are food insecure. Climate Change with temperature increase and wildfires creates water scarcity and challenges food production, with some crops decreased by 30%. More disruption of food supply is expected to affect by 80 million by 2050 and over 60 million water scarcity, causing displacement. So, in 2023 water resource management and restoration of the irrigation system was prioritised, as were resilience building programmes. Several initiatives include:

WFP initiatives include the rehabilitation of bakeries to support food production despite Climate Change, planting of over a million trees in Lebanon to increase production, rehabilitation of marshland, reduction of carbon emissions and other initiatives to bring funding to national economies aiming at handing over of knowledge and implementation skills. What will be urgently needed are innovative financing mechanisms, consistent and longer-term funding for climate, partnerships integrating local knowledge and scientific research, and large-scale access in cases such as in Gaza. (see attachment – video)

Ms. Latifa AlQemzi, Director General, DP World Foundation, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to change, including education, health, food and disaster response, with a focus on increasing resilience. The harsh reality of approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 – 2050 is feared. Effective interventions are needed across all sectors of the humanitarian community with support from governments and private institutions, an intersection of humanitarian, displacement and disaster response. Immediate meeting of needs can outreach long term sustainable solutions. Complementary charity is essential, rather than disparity and competing interests for long-term resilience building which leads to duplication of efforts rather than working in partnership with sustainable organisations and capacity building on how to respond to natural disasters.

A video showed challenges and how innovative strategies with integrated relief and sustainability with short-term activities and sustainable investments were implemented. These include education initiatives and building bridges for which partnerships are a key component, pooling resources and expertise to create an effect of positive change.

DP World Foundation aims to emerge as a beacon of hope, a new and relative partner with unwavering energy and to engage with all stakeholders, aligning short term relief efforts and paving the way to a sustainable future. (attachment)

Mr. Claus Sorensen, Senior Adviser on Resilience, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, NRC; Former DG, ECHO, stressed that we are on the road to hell with Climate Change causing violence as a slow onset process, complemented with a long-term tragedy. Manmade phenomena are creating dramatic conditions and insecurity. Responsible governments between all four complications have a responsibility, a Nexus plus with climate actors, security – and development actors needing to work more closely together. This is a task for humanitarians who need to clean up their own house and ensure their governments are responsible, producing renewable resources, reducing their climate footprint and ensuring all standards are responsible in their use of energy. As an illustration he mentioned that NRC is investing in solar panels for its field offices. Cleaning-up and major contribution of humanitarian actors in risks and vulnerability knowledge must be transferred in dialogue with governments and their mandated organisations. Furthermore, development organisations must help to mobilise climate funds which are at seriously low levels. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries are at a staggering disadvantage in climate funds of USD 2.1 per capita vs USD 161.0 for less affected countries. COP28 raised awareness of the climate challenge but the declaration did not refer to the extreme vulnerability of SSA. Resilience building is not enough stressed in development programmes, neither is the need for political stability. (attachment)

The Chair summarised the presentations such as the Nexus Plus, the need for a solution and funding for climate related humanitarian disasters, all sectors to take responsibility and coming together. Development funding, blocked for political reasons, should be made available for humanitarian and climate actions. The increased cost of food production and reduced funding will lead to more shortfall in food. The gaps must be identified and shared between stakeholders in an organised way. This is a global challenge and must be addressed by working together to act for relief impact.

Comments from the floor

– Climate Change requires alternative solutions – how to find another source of funds for humanitarian appeals? Panel: It cannot be humanitarian funding and needs to be innovative to get resources to the local communities since the numerous crises leave no funding for climate actions. Local communities must be supported in climate smart initiatives.

Farming needs to be taught in UAE, but for long term a secure investment is needed.

– With development funding not available, what is the way to go?

– Introduction of new technology means challenges, raising the question how to do this for communities to respond.

– Behavior of peace keeping missions directly affects the Climate as military also carry out humanitarian work.

– Climate concern must be included in the humanitarian response.