DUBAI, March 25 (KUNA) -- Under auspices of UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the 11th edition of Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD-2014) kicked off here on Tuesday. United Nations Messenger of Peace and Chairperson of International Humanitarian City Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein opened the three-day gathering in the presence of dozens of representatives of local, regional and international relief agencies.
The conference, themed "woman and relief - impact of disasters on woman and her role in crisis response," discusses the obstacles facing the provision of relief materials to the vulnerable people in crisis-hit areas, notably Syria.
Addressing the opening session, Princes Haya said: "What we have to do now is to deliver aid to women and their families affected by conflicts regardless of their social or traditional backgrounds." Princes Haya, wife of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, attributed the failure of some relief programs to the attempts of the donors to impose certain social views on the aid recipients or attach certain conditions, and sometimes threats, to aid.
On her part, UAE Minister of International Cooperation and Development Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi said DIHAD has become an international umbrella for strengthening the humanitarian response to emergencies and disasters worldwide.
The conference will explore ways for improving the networking among the local, regional and international aid agencies, beside holding special sessions on Syria.
It gathers representatives of 330 aid agencies and companies, including WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, European Commissioner for International Cooperation,Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response (ECHO) Kristalina Georgieva, Vice-President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent and Societies (IFRC) Baige Zhao, and Chief of Syria Field Relief and Social Services Program of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Amneh Al-Saqer. (end) hny.gb KUNA 252151 Mar 14NNNN