International Humanitarian City reveals master plan at DIHAD 2008

Delivering on the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed, IHC reiterates Dubai's commitment to serve as a key contributor and actor on the global humanitarian scene, by offering the international humanitarian community its trademark advantages: location, infrastructure, momentum and business acumen.

"International Humanitarian City has been envisaged as a world class centre for humanitarian aid, relief and development with both a regional and global outlook. IHC is a key emblem of Dubai's vision and an integral part of its strategy, as an expression of the emirate's international social responsibility", said Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Chairperson, IHC.

Following the establishment of a new board of directors with Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein as Chairperson, this new master plan comes as an instrumental synthesis between IHC's unique concept, value proposition, comprehensive offer and facilities, and the strategic environment of Dubai.

The master plan involves a phased process, designed to create a new environment and maximise logistic and administrative efficiencies, taking into account all stakeholders involved in humanitarian aid.

When completed, it will deliver effective integration of IHC facilities within Dubai World Central in particular and within Dubai in general, with the ultimate objective to accelerate the response to global relief needs within a seven hour maximum flight time to all major crises-prone areas.

One of the strategic components of the master plan is the relocation of IHC to a specially designated land in Dubai World Central, which allows IHC to take advantage of the access to the Jebel Ali port and airport facilities, enhancing the organisation's focus on humanitarian logistics and facilitation of emergency response.

With a 10 minute sea-to-air logistics capability, the new IHC facilities will offer a strengthened, secure physical infrastructure, which will include zones for warehousing and logistics, administration offices for global, regional, and local non-profit humanitarian organisations, and a physically separate business park for commercial entities operating in the humanitarian sector.

The master plan also caters to IHC's existing and targeted community's different components (be it UN, nonprofit organisations or commercial companies) by providing them with facilities conducive to networking and interaction, while answering their specific needs (e.g. security, dedicated UN Building and Humanitarian Response Depot).

The master plan allows IHC to act on a global scale. Already home to more than 50 NGOs, UN agencies, and humanitarian supply organisations, the new relocated IHC will provide the infrastructure, services and practical support that the international humanitarian community requires today.

Through its new infrastructure, logistic solutions and set of support services, IHC anticipates to effectively help improve the efficiency and promptness of humanitarian aid and development operations from Dubai.

IHC plays a major role at the DIHAD exhibition this year.

The exhibition provides the perfect opportunity for IHC to showcase the much-awaited future plans, the exciting changes underway, and share them with the international humanitarian community.

DIHAD's role is also to highlight Dubai's strategic location, its energetic entrepreneurial climate and diverse international character, making it the ideal launch pad for IHC's master plan.