International Aid & Trade - a resounding success
by Adam Nethersole
International Aid & Trade (IAT) ran its annual event for the first time this year in the Ronald Reagan Building, Washington D.C, USA on the 9th and 10th July following three years in Geneva, Switzerland. IAT is the world's leading forum for humanitarian relief professionals to cement relationships, build partnerships, gain understanding and share experiences.
Despite fears that the world economic climate and swine flu pandemic would hinder the event, International Aid & Trade 2009 saw all-time high visitor numbers. Including UN organisations, aid agencies, NGO's, government entities and local agencies, more than 1610 attendees made this the most successful event to date.
The workshop sessions proved immensely popular, with influential speakers such as Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, Chief of Policy and Development for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Edith Grace Ssempala, Acting Senior Vice President of the World Bank and Finbarr Curan, Director of Field and Emergency support Office, UN World Food Programme (WFP), presenting to rapt audiences.
The exhibition area hosted 114 international product and service providers to the humanitarian aid sector, as well as 11 NGOs, and there was positive feedback throughout:
"I am surrounded here by a lot of private sector entrepreneurs with fantastic new innovations which are important for operations, search and rescue, conflict related issues, natural disasters, all of which, even technically require different responses and different tools. This is a fair in a way that doesn't only talk about the politics but also brings together very practical solutions with the policy and the politics and those different communities, and that is why we will definitely stay engaged in this."
Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, Chief of Policy and Development Branch, UN OCHA
"As first time exhibitors, we have been thoroughly impressed with the variety of attendees at the International Aid & Trade show. From the abundance if NGO's to the unique exhibitors, we feel we're gained incredibly valuable contracts that will lead to new and exciting opportunities to assist in important efforts worldwide."
Tammi Pederson, Life+Gear
"All of the L.M.S team want to take time to thank the International Aid & Trade organizers for giving us the opportunity to show our equipment that really make a difference in the humanitarian world - We hope to continue attending the future events with your organization. Thanks for all,"
D. Locicero, R. Circhirillo, G.Matheron, L.M.S World Water Treatment
Next year's event will be in Washington D.C. once again and is already in the initial stages of planning with many people keen to be involved again. If you would like to know more please visit www.aidandtrade.org or call +44 (0) 207 871 0188 for more information on how to get involved.