Security of aid workers and NGO-military relations

Two topics that will be discussed at the 2009 International Aid and Trade Event in Washington DC, USA on the 9th and 10th July.

[UKPRwire, Thu Jun 04 2009] 122 aid workers were killed while carrying out their work in 2008 according to Reuters Alertnet, making it the most deadly year for aid workers on record. At the same time, military forces are increasingly involved in humanitarian assistance. These issues will be high on the agenda at International Aid & Trade 2009, this year being held for the first time in the Ronald Reagan Building Washington DC, USA on the 9th and 10th July.

The leading forum for humanitarian procurement professionals, product & service providers and thought leaders, International Aid & Trade includes round-table workshops within an exhibition hall where experts will discuss humanitarian challenges with the aim of finding solutions and cross-sector working. Sessions entitled “Cohesion and the role of the military in humanitarian assistance” and “Security of aid workers and aid provision in hostile environments” are expected to be popular.

Cohesion and the role of the military in humanitarian assistance
Since the early 1990s, military forces have become increasingly involved in humanitarian assistance. Some view this as a takeover of aid operations while others see it as inevitable advancement. Questions and issues evolving from these blurred lines will be addressed at International Aid & Trade by Doug Brooks, President of the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), COL Christopher Mayer (Retired) of the US Army, Thomas Shortley, Global Account Manager at Agility, Adib Farhadi - Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Commerce & Industry and InterAction's Director of Disaster Response, Linda Poteat and Michael Marx, Chief, Civil-Military Coordination Section, UN OCHA. The spread of experience and opinions will enable greater understanding leading to positive solutions.

The security of aid workers
Numerous stories have appeared concerning violence towards aid workers in conflict regions as 2008 was confirmed the deadliest year for aid workers. The recent rise in kidnappings is partly attributable to sector growth but also due to local people associating aid workers with a ‘Western agenda’. Incidents include the fatal shooting of 3 aid workers and their driver near Kabul by the Taliban in August 2008. The BBC reported the insurgents described the victims as "the foreign invader forces" and “foreign spies”.

Recently, 13 aid agencies were expelled from Sudan following an arrest warrant issuance against President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. He accused the agencies of being "spies and thieves”, taking "99% of the budget for humanitarian work themselves, giving the people of Darfur 1%". The government also alleges they were giving information to the ICC- charges are denied.

It is essential that these issues are addressed, enabling work to continue with minimal danger. Cultural understanding, good practice & preventing the escalation of conflict situations in the first instance are elements to be discussed during the session by speakers including Maggie Burke, Director, Management Services at Africare, Steve Summers, Director of Key travel, Doug Brooks, President of the IPOA and John Schafer, Senior Security Coordinator at Interaction.

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For more information or to register please visit www.aidandtrade.org or contact Kathryn Holden
Tel: +44 20 7871 0188
Email: kholden@aidandtrade.org