The 21st annual Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference took place last month, with Switzerland as guest country of honour. As part of the Swiss Pavilion, GCS were proud to present our safe, sustainable Mine Action solutions powered by our innovative technology, that have resulted in over a million mine-free square metres in Ukraine to date, and over 8 million m² in Iraq since 2020. Clearing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in urban areas of Iraq requires painstaking and dedicated demining teams and equipment, and we are proud to have recruited the first all-female demining team in Iraq.

Opening the Swiss Pavilion, Her Excellency Ambassador Patricia Danzi welcomed fellow Swiss humanitarian organisations the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, CARITAS, Terre des Hommes foundation, Swisscontact among others.

GCS CEO and Co-founder Philipp von Michaelis addressed the International Emergency and Catastrophe Management workshop “Innovation and Opportunities in the Swiss Humanitarian and Development Sectors” alongside GICHD Director Ambassador Tobias Privitelli, as well as the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation’s Joelle Germanier and Terre des hommes foundation’s Sophie Barbey.

As well as delegation visits to the International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations and Dubai Humanitarian exhibitions, the conference was also an opportunity for the Swiss Embrassy to the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain as well as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to foster public-private partnerships and inter-agency cooperation.

We would like to thank organisers T-LINK Fairs and Events and our hosts for welcoming us.

Photo and Video Credits @GCS, Fairspace T-LINK Management and Gaelle Hadorn