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WFP to set up offices at Humanitarian City

DUBAI - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will become the firstly international organisation that will work from the recently-launched Dubai Humanitarian City, according to Saeed bin Suloum, Director of the Dubai Humanitarian City (DHC).

The UN World Food Programme will set up offices at DHC with a staff of 70 people. Many other international humanitarian and aid organisations and institutions have shown interest in establishing themselves in the City to benefit from its facilities and services," Mr Bin Suloum said.

WFP Dubai Director, Peter Casier, said: "We are delighted to be part of this initiative and also to be located in one of the most dynamic cities of the world."

He observed that Dubai, with its excellent infrastructure, is the regional home for many global institutions. "It is a regional hub with excellent connections, providing easy access to our main area of work in both the east and the west," Mr Casier said, adding "Dubai is the selected location for our worldwide technical intervention team, fast response stocks and for regional procurement and transshipment visa air, road and sea."

Shedding light on the activities of the WFP, he said: "The WFP is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger. In 2002, WFP provided 2.2 million tonnes of food to 72 million people in 82 countries worth $1.5 billion."

The Dubai Humanitarian City, which was launched on Monday under the directives of General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, aims at positioning Dubai as the centre that services the region encompassing Middle East, Eastern Asia, North East Africa and India, said Mr Bin Suloum.

He disclosed that the DHC project gained the attention of many international organisations which were surveyed about this unique initiative. "This reinforces the growing importance of the international role Dubai plays now in various fields,"said Mr Bin Suloum.

"The announcement by the WFP to set up operations at the DHC would further attract regional and international organisations and establishments providing humanitarian services," he added.

The newly established City aims to host international establishments and organisations that work in the field of food, agriculture, health, children, education, women and humanitarian services.