Successful Brindisi conference initiated by Dubai Humanitarian strengthens global humanitarian coordination
Dubai Humanitarian, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD/WFP), has concluded the Second Conference of Countries Hosting the World’s Humanitarian Hubs in Brindisi, Italy, marking a significant milestone in advancing global humanitarian coordination.
The conference was held on the margins of the 25th anniversary of the UNHRD and brought together representatives from seven countries hosting the world’s humanitarian hubs, creating a dedicated platform for strategic dialogue, collaboration, and joint action.
High-level delegates from Australia, Ghana, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates agreed on the urgency of implementing a set of priority principles aimed at streamlining humanitarian response efforts. These principles focus on enhancing coordination, improving data transparency, and embedding sustainability at the core of emergency operations.
A key area of discussion was the Humanitarian Logistics Databank, with participants reviewing its growing impact and exploring opportunities for further scaling, integration, and operational efficiency across global humanitarian supply chains.
Commenting on the outcomes of the conference, Giuseppe Saba, CEO and Board Member of Dubai Humanitarian, said the discussions reaffirmed the importance of collective action in addressing humanitarian crises worldwide. He emphasised that closer collaboration between host countries, humanitarian hubs, and partners is essential to building a more agile, innovative, and community-centred humanitarian system.
“The ambition is to enable an interoperable humanitarian system that functions as a true global safety net—capable of responding swiftly and responsibly to emergencies, while upholding dignity, strengthening local actors, and promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions,” Saba said.
The conference brought together senior representatives from leading international and regional organisations, including MAECI, the World Food Programme (WFP), the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Italian Civil Protection, CEPREDENAC, UNHCR, Politecnico di Milano, Dubai Humanitarian (DXBH), and the Emergency Supply Pre-Positioning Strategy (ESUPS).
The second edition of the conference builds on the foundation established during the inaugural convening hosted by Dubai Humanitarian and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs at COP28 in 2023. It concluded with a renewed commitment to deepen cooperation, accelerate digital transformation, and collectively strengthen the global humanitarian system in anticipation of future challenges.
