International Humanitarian City, Dubai (IHC) was recognized and honored at the recently concluded “2nd Global Aviation Safety Conference for Humanitarian Air Services” organized by the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Aviation Safety Unit in Sharjah on October 12-13, 2010.

Focusing on safety and risk management in the humanitarian aviation sector in an effort to improve aviation safety culture, the conference was fully supported by Sharjah Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and sponsored by a number of local aviation companies. It was inaugurated by His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of Civil Aviation – Sharjah International Airport.

The Sharjah Department of Civil Aviation and the WFP recognized the scale of the global humanitarian effort at the conference with a range of awards presented to organisations that have made an outstanding contribution in the Region.

HH Shiekh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, as Chairman of DCA, presented awards to Martin Ohlsen, Director of Logistics for the WFP; Elissar Sarrouh, United Nations Representative to the UAE; Brigitte Khair Mountain, Head of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees; William Voss, President and Chief Executive of the Flight Safety Foundation and to Ms. Makiya Al Hajiri, Chief Executive Officer, International Humanitarian City.

The WFP also made presentations to Elissar Sarrouh, Brigitte Khair Mountain and Ms. Makiya Al Hajiri.

Martin Ohlsen, WFP’s Director of Logistics, described the Sharjah gathering as an excellent opportunity for all stakeholders in humanitarian relief to share experience,knowledge, and expertise in mitigating risk levels during WFP air interventions in challenging places.