International Humanitarian City (IHC), Dubai’s global humanitarian hub, has taken the lead in developing the humanitarian sector in the UAE.

As part of its mandate to enable humanitarian efforts, the IHC has joined hands with the UK’s Charity Commission (which registers and regulates all charities in England and Wales) to introduce a program of specialized training sessions and workshops for humanitarian sector professionals in the UAE and beyond. The training would be for local charities, regional and international NGO’s, as well as concerned government bodies.

To ensure the success of the program, IHC held a preliminary roundtable discussion with the leading Emirati and international humanitarian institutions, as well as training providers. These included representatives from the UAE Red Crescent, Dubai Cares, Life for Relief and Development, Al Muntada Al Islami, State Audit Institution, UN IRIN and Community Development Authority.

The discussion focused on identifying the needs and areas of development of the charities and NGO’s in the UAE, and on deciding which training programmes would best address these needs and build their skills.

Ms. Makiya Al Hajiri, CEO of IHC, emphasized that “IHC is here to facilitate and promote humanitarian aid and development efforts. By encouraging these training sessions, we are hoping to create a knowledge hub for humanitarian professionals in the region.”

Mr. Robin MacGregor, Regional Manager for the Gulf and International Programs of the Charity Commission talked of how “the IHC is a unique regional model whose vision to support the development of national and regional NGO’s presents a great opportunity for the UAE and the Gulf region.” He added that, “Dubai is a great location for global trainings, given the convenience, ease of access and professional facilities.”