Aid and Trade Forum

The world's humanitarian challenges consistently increase in complexity and scale. A better understanding of the links between security, poverty, vulnerability to natural disasters, health pandemics and hunger underline the importance of integrating humanitarian relief efforts. As the 2006 International Aid+Trade Event demonstrated, many stakeholders who are taking action are increasingly working together, in partnership. Strengthened relationships between governments, UN agencies, aid agencies, development banks and business are leading to effective implementation. Building on the success of last years' event, The 2007 International Aid & Trade event will bring together the global humanitarian relief community to embrace this challenge through improved coordination and communication.

Interactive, inclusive and effective, the 2007 event will include:

• Exhibition: A place for providers of goods and services to meet and present their products, services and/or consultancy to key decision makers within humanitarian relief, aid and development, including governments, aid agencies, NGOs, development banks and business.

• Display Area: A no-frills warehouse style area for demonstration of large kit, allowing procurement managers, specifiers, project managers and interested organisations to really experience equipment up close and personal.

• NGO & UN Pavilions: A block of stands for aid agencies and NGOs and UN organisations to present their work and to meet other agencies, decision makers, visitors and businesses.

• Learning Centre: A mini-auditorium within the main exhibition hall available in 45-minute slots for organsiations to present humanitarian issues they have faced and the solutions they have found. Designed to be interactive, involving questions and discussion.

• Workshop sessions: A range of workshop sessions on pertinent issues within humanitarian aid and relief with presentations from pre-eminent UN, aid agency, government and international development bank experts including audience questions and discussions.

• Procurement Focus: There is a recognised lack of clarity on who procures what, when and how; how equipment is moved around, how tenders are offered and how applications are required.

The "Focus on procurement" feature at the 2007 International Aid + Trade Event aims at changing this, at bringing together the users, buyers and producers of goods and services to create a transparent and increasingly effective procurement environment. It consists of a tender wall, where agencies can present their tenders, can explain exactly what sort of applications they want, when and in what form and workshop sessions to discuss procurement processes and methods.