Doha: The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs H E Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud will head Qatar’s delegation to the 2nd International Conference on the “HOPEFOR” initiative, due to kick off in the Turkish City of Antalya today.
Many countries from different continents of the world as well as a number of regional and international organisations will take part in the conference, which will conclude on Friday.
A series of lectures and practical exercises on the best means of cooperation and civil-military coordination in disasters will be held during the conference.
An exhibition will also be held on the sidelines of the conference.
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani launched the HOPEFOR initiative in New York in June 2010 aiming at strengthening civil-military coordination in the field of humanitarian aid and to ensure the use of the military and civil assets to support relief operations in the natural disasters in an appropriate, effective and coordinated manner according to the principles of international law and humanitarian principles.
The UN General Assembly adopted the initiative in July after it approved a draft resolution presented by Qatar, Turkey and the Dominican Republic.
The first three-day International Conference on the “HOPEFOR” initiative was held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Doha in November 2011 which was backed by Turkey and the Dominican Republic. It was attended by more than 130 participants from more than 60 countries and organisations. QNA
