The United Arab Emirates
ranks among the most generous aid donors in the world.
The humanitarian contributions are not always heavily
publicized, but tens of thousands of people throughout
the Arab World – and beyond – can testify
to the generosity of the country’s rulers. Whether
it is a new hospital in Palestine, a school in Sudan
or relief work in war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan,
the UAE and Dubai have been major players in the international
aid community for decades.
Dubai Aid City will be the
world’s first dedicated, integrated base for
the multi-billion dollar aid sector.
That relationship is taking a major leap forward with
the development of Dubai Aid City – an integrated
community that caters to the local, regional, and
international relief aid community. From distribution
and storage facilities to relief aid technical emergency
centers, Dubai Aid City will act as a dynamic community,
bridging the gap between donors, relief aid suppliers,
and organizations within the humanitarian value chain.
Dubai Aid City is set to be located in the southern
area of the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ), one of the
most comprehensive and efficient logistics centers
in the world. Facilities will include pre-built warehousing,
storage areas and office facilities.
“Jebel Ali Free Zone has consistently invested
in state-of-the-art technology and information management
systems, with skilled personnel to run them,”
says Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman
of Dubai Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation
(PCFC). “Our singular mission is to provide a
conducive infrastructure for manufacturing and distribution,
supported by quality, value-added services which,
together with unrivaled incentives and proactive marketing,
will attract and maintain reputable business that
contribute to the diversification and growth of Dubai’s
economy.”
Dubai Aid City, which is expected to take approximately
two years to complete, will provide international
aid organizations with a unique logistical location
from which to store, stockpile and distribute aid
cargo via sea, land or air to locations around the
world. Developers are liaising with aid organizations
and agencies during the design of the warehousing
and office facilities. Special requirements that have
already been requested include dry cargo facilities
and regulated temperature storage facilities for sensitive
food and medical supplies. Until its completion, aid
agencies can enjoy access to warehousing, office facilities
and distribution solutions at dedicated areas in Dubai
City, Port Rashid and Jebel Ali port.
Walid Hareb, project manager, says: “By basing
operations in the Dubai Aid City, in a free zone which
has a well established infrastructure, facilities
and premium services, aid bodies will be able to use
the specially built extensive warehouse facilities
to stockpile emergency supplies for countries around
the world, not just this region.
“JAFZ, which currently hosts over 2,550 companies
from over ninety countries, will allow aid organizations
to ensure access to a variety of available relief
items and suppliers - almost immediately - which can
be sent efficiently to cover a variety of emergency
humanitarian situations, as it will be an attracting
point for many international aid agencies across the
world.”
This kind of support is crucial for aid agencies.
Each hour lost to logistical hiccups can cost lives,
so benefiting from state-of-the-art distribution facilities
will make a real difference to people living in areas
hit by war, famine and other disasters. Crucially,
by being located close together, different operators
along the aid value chain will be able to respond
to each other’s needs rapidly, greatly enhancing
the efficiency and speed of their operations. Dubai
Aid City is the first facility in the world to offer
such an integrated community to the aid sector.
One of the most important requirements for the distribution
of essential aid cargo is reliable, swift and efficient
distribution through an effective logistics network.
Organizations in Dubai Aid City, from its central
location in the stable and peaceful environment of
the United Arab Emirates, will be able to take full
advantage of the benefits associated with the location
and expertise of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone
Corporation, to ensure that there are minimal logistical
or bureaucratic bottlenecks that could jeopardize
such operations.
Mr. Hareb stressed that Dubai Aid City’s immediate
proximity to the leading port authority in the region
– DPA – ensures that it will benefit from
the competitive advantages and services of over one
hundred leading shipping lines that call there. Regular
aid shipments can be sent via the Jebel Ali port located
next to the Free Zone, Port Rashid in downtown Dubai,
or Hamriyah port. This is vital for effective distribution
to areas of long-term aid relief, or immediate humanitarian
needs. “Through seamless customs clearances,
assisted by the unique interface between DPA and Dubai
Customs, large volumes of cargo can be quickly distributed
to Iraq, Eastern Europe, the Indian Subcontinent,
or East Africa,” said Mr. Hareb.
Dubai Aid City’s location in Jebel Ali Free Zone
also ensures reliable access to potential suppliers
of food, clothing and medical suppliers and a range
of other commodities.
Dubai’s integrated transport system will allow
agencies to distribute this vital aid through a number
of channels. The city’s seaports are clearly
unrivaled throughout the region, as is Dubai International
Airport. Dubai Aid City, located close to the main
highway leading from the UAE to the neighboring countries
and beyond, also has access to extensive trucking
facilities for land distribution, provided by PCFC.
By strategically gathering aid organizations in one
safe area, along with associated sectors such as aid
business suppliers, opportunities for the aid community
will inevitably become more defined. Officials at
Dubai Aid City say that this will allow aid strategies
for the region to become more developed and sophisticated,
and to enjoy greater reach and faster response times. |
