Building Partnerships for Relief + Development
HP Africa has teamed up with International Aid + Trade to help African companies attend the 2008 International Aid + Trade Event.
New for 2008, the African Pavilion is set up to assist developing African companies attend the event, enabling them to display their goods and services and make essential contacts within the humanitarian relief, aid and development community on a level playing field.
“This is a great opportunity for African companies and Hewlett Packard Africa is the first multinational company to assist with this venture”, Ms Sula Bruce, Operations Director at International Aid + Trade said.
International Aid + Trade brings professionals from UN, NGO, governmental, intergovernmental and commercial organisations together to network, build partnerships, share knowledge and improve coordination, communication and effectiveness in relief, response and sustainable development globally.
“Many of the NGOs and agencies that attend the event are focusing on projects in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and are actively looking to purchase their goods from suppliers in these countries to help stimulate trade in the region,” Ms Bruce said.
However, underdevelopment and unfavourable trading conditions including currency exchange rates mean these suppliers are very poorly represented within the international trading arena.
By sponsoring the African pavilion, HP Africa has given these African companies a chance to attend the event, make valuable contacts and secure important contracts. The African Pavilion is an innovative and simple mechanism to allow African businesses to benefit from the “aid trade” and to assist economic development within their own region.
The 2008 International Aid + Trade Event is in Geneva, Switzerland on January 29th – 30th, 2008. For more information about confirmed speakers, workshop sessions and exhibitors, please visit www.aidandtrade.org.
About the event:
The 2008 International Aid + Trade Event brings together the global humanitarian relief, aid and development community to embrace the challenge of integrated aid and development. The event features a range of interactive exhibits where providers of the latest humanitarian relief goods and services will come together with leading agencies and organisations administering relief in the field, bringing the challenge of humanitarian relief to life. NGO and UN pavilions give UN agencies and NGOs the opportunity to meet other agencies, decision makers, visitors and businesses.
The event also includes moderated workshop panel discussions and instructive learning centre sessions which offer exhibitors and delegates the opportunity to exchange information and knowledge on projects and campaigns as well as the chance to discuss real, current and emerging humanitarian challenges. Moderated by BBC journalists Kate Adie and Brian Hanrahan, the workshops provide a forum to discuss best practices for response and relief efforts.
Stay updated at www.aidandtrade.org for evolving event information, confirmed speakers and exhibitor lists.
About the organisation:
The International Aid + Trade Event has been running since 2000, but was acquired by Sustainable Development International in 2005. Since then we have run two events in 2006 and 2007.
Since 2005 we have worked hard to improve the quality of the event through listening to exhibitors, visitors and speakers and once again make it a valuable and worthwhile event for all members of the humanitarian community. We have made many additions and changes which we believe are beneficial to exhibitors and delegates alike. The event is now free for making it an inclusive, transparent and open forum for communication, coordination and partnership.
The Meet the Buyers sessions, introduced in 2006, have proved widely successful and invaluable to both suppliers and buyers. These sessions allow procurement managers to have face-to-face introductions with exhibiting companies that offer goods and services specified by the agencies. In 2007 we will also be facilitating meetings – between individuals in the business, NGO and UN sectors.
The 2008 event will see several new features including regional and sector-based pavilions such as the African Pavilion, Asian Pavilion, USA Pavilion, the Education Zone and the Satcom Zone, joining the consistently popular NGO and UN Pavilions.
The International Exhibition, Display Area, Vehicle Demonstration Zone, Workshop and Learning Centre Sessions, and numerous networking opportunities all make the event an invaluable two days for anyone involved in the humanitarian relief, aid and development community.
For more information about the 2008 International Aid + Trade Event, please contact Sarah Ireland on sireland@aidandtrade.org or +44 (0) 20 7871 0188.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
