International Humanitarian City (IHC) – Dubai, attended the Regional Workshop on “Information Sharing For Better Humanitarian Action” held on 25-27 January, 2010.

Organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the three day workshop was hosted by the National Committee for Civil Defense (NCCD) at Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman.

The workshop aimed to strengthen humanitarian information collaboration in the Middle East region by providing the participants with an opportunity to share experiences, exchange lessons learned and build regional partnerships.

It brought together key humanitarian organizations in the region as well as representatives from government and the media.

The panel discussions and lectures emphasized the significance of information gathering and dissemination. Participants agreed that recent emergencies and disasters have shown that information in vital to effective and informed decision-making.

Ms Makiya Al Hajiri, CEO, represented IHC at the workshop. She welcomed the initiative by OCHA and the NCCD, stating that “The workshop was a valuable opportunity for those in the humanitarian field in the Middle East. Timely and reliable information is vital to helping people in emergency situations, and humanitarian organizations should work together to improve information sharing in the region, and beyond.”