Syria and Iraq cast shadow over Dihad

Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan called on countries in the region to work together to deal with the massive humanitarian crises caused by conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

Prince Hassan, Princess Haya and other delegates at the opening of Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday. — KT photo by Dhes Handumon

Dubai - The spectre of the massive humanitarian crisis caused by the wars in Syria and Iraq loomed large over the opening of the 12th edition of the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (Dihad).

Among the speakers at this year’s opening ceremony was Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, which is currently home to almost 1.4 million refugees of the war in Syria.

In his remarks, Prince Hassan called on countries in the region to work together to deal with the massive humanitarian crises caused by conflicts in Syria and Iraq.  “A Syrian today is only a Syrian in name. He’s an additional digit, an additional statistic, to the hosting country, whether it is Jordan, Lebanon, not to mention the internally displaced in Syria itself, Turkey, Iraq, and even as far afield as Egypt and Morocco,” he said.

“We are talking about the need for area capability,” he added. “We’re not talking about national and sovereign concerns because the concerns, by their very definition, are human security concerns that affect us all.”

Prince Hassan also called on citizens of the Arab world to embrace “a broader patriotism” in which multiple identities can co-exist with one another.

“When will the time come when an Arab can be an Iraqi, an Anbari and a Sunni? When a Syrian can be an Aleppan, Arab, and an Orthodox Christian?” he said.

Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the nature of the current wars — in which fighting often takes place in the midst of population centres — presents a serious challenge to humanitarian organisations trying to help.  “Throughout history, people have associated humanitarian service with providing relief, mostly in conflict areas that would be clearly identified,” he said. “The battleground has moved to communities, it has moved to mosques and churches and synagogues, it has moved even to schools.”

“Sadly, we live in a world where respect for fundamental principles is no longer observed by all,” he added, noting that 47 Red Crescent volunteers have been killed in the Syria since the war began.

Just following the opening remarks, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced that it has signed on to purchase 10,000 ‘flat-pack’ shelters, which have been designed with the feedback of refugees in Kurdistan and Ethiopia, from Better Shelter, part of a non-profit foundation established by IKEA, for use in relief operations.

Shaun Scales, chief of the shelter and settlement section of the UNHCR, said many of the new shelters will be headed to Iraq to replace the simple tents in which many refugees have been living.

“There will be a volume supply initially for our operation in Iraq,” he said. “For a combination of IDPs (internally displaced persons) and refugees.”

“The expansion of the crisis in the Middle East, of course, has put a strain on us, it has to,” he said, noting that the conflicts have come at the same time as several other large-scale humanitarian crises around the globe.

“In terms of the response capacity, the overall need for assistance, the resources ... it’s always difficult to make sure we provide adequate assistance where it’s needed,” he said. “But, of course, it’s part of our job.”

Princess Haya bint Hussein, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, urged leaders around the world to emulate the example of the UAE in providing for their citizens.

“The UAE was built by its leadership from nothing,” she said. “Shaikh Mohammed and his generation growing up also struggled with famine, limited education and health services.” -bernd@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE