Dubai Humanitarian and the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) of the European Commission have agreed to enhance their cooperation in humanitarian supply chain, emergency preparedness, and response. This collaboration was formalized with an Administrative Arrangement signed at the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels. The signatories were Maciej Popowski, Director-General of DG ECHO, and Giuseppe Saba, CEO and Board Member of Dubai Humanitarian. The event was attended by HE Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development Affairs and International Organizations, and HE Mohamed Al Sahlawi, UAE Ambassador to Belgium.
The new arrangement aims to improve information sharing, coordination, sustainability, and innovation in humanitarian operations. Giuseppe Saba emphasized their goal “to enhance the agility, coordination, and sustainability of humanitarian emergency response through partnership.” He highlighted Dubai’s strategic position as a major humanitarian hub facilitating timely aid delivery.
Maciej Popowski remarked on the shared commitment to more effective humanitarian action: “By deepening our cooperation with Dubai Humanitarian, we are investing in faster, more coordinated responses to crises—built on innovation, knowledge exchange, and strategic preparedness.”
The agreement focuses on advancing logistics and crisis response by coordinating relief operations and exchanging critical logistics data. It also includes exploring innovative solutions for improving emergency responses across the humanitarian supply chain.
Furthermore, both organizations will share best practices in quality and operational excellence while co-developing training programs aimed at enhancing local emergency preparedness. They plan to organize joint forums with stakeholders such as academia and disaster management authorities. Additionally, they will collaborate on communication efforts to highlight the importance of strong humanitarian systems.
