DIHAD Workshops

H.E. Khalid Al Nuaimi

Director of the Federal Youth Authority | United Arab Emirates

Director of the Federal Youth Authority

H.E. Hamoud Abdullah Al Junaibi

Deputy Secretary-General for the Local Affairs Sector Emirates Red Crescent Authority | United Arab Emirates

Deputy Secretary-General for the Local Affairs Sector Emirates Red Crescent Authority

Mr. Mohammed Al Hosani

Director of Programs Department Emirates Foundation | United Arab Emirates

Director of Programs Department Emirates Foundation

Mr. Mohamed Khaled Al Shamsi

Chairman, Emirates Humanitarian Youth Council | United Arab Emirates

Chairman, Emirates Humanitarian Youth Council

Dr. Manal Taryam

CEO and Board Member of Noor Dubai Foundation | United Arab Emirates

CEO and Board Member of Noor Dubai Foundation

Mr. Mohammed Mosbeh

CEO of the Charitable Work Sector at the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) | United Arab Emirates

CEO of the Charitable Work Sector at the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD)

Mr. Abdulla bin Zayed Al Falasi

Executive Director at Dar Al Ber Society | United Arab Emirates

Executive Director at Dar Al Ber Society

Mr. Adel Al Suwaidi

Board Member of Dubai Charity Association | United Arab Emirates

Board Member of Dubai Charity Association

Ms. Aisha Salem AlAdeedi

Head of Community Contributions at the Community Development Authority | United Arab Emirates

Head of Community Contributions at the Community Development Authority

Ms. Latifa AlQemzi

Director General of the DP World Foundation | United Arab Emirates

Director General of the DP World Foundation

Mr. Prince Abdullah Faisal

IFRC Workshop Speaker | United Arab Emirates

IFRC Workshop Speaker

Dr. Majed AlSajani

IFRC Workshop Speaker | United Arab Emirates

IFRC Workshop Speaker

Dr. Mohamad Nabil Hamad

IFRC Workshop Speaker | United Arab Emirates

IFRC Workshop Speaker

Ms. Dana Abu-Koash

IHL Coordinator | United Arab Emirates

IHL Coordinator

Ms. Sarah Hengeveld

Amazon Web Services UN Sales Leader | United Arab Emirates

Amazon Web Services UN Sales Leader

Ms. Diane Quera

Amazon Web Services: Workshop Speaker | United Arab Emirates

Amazon Web Services: Workshop Speaker

Ms. Carine Taja

Under Secretary General for Administration | United Arab Emirates

Under Secretary General for Administration

Mr. Elie Dagher

Head of Humanitarian Diplomacy | United Arab Emirates

Head of Humanitarian Diplomacy

Dr. Mohamed Said

Doctor and Expert Consultant in Strategic Planning | United Arab Emirates

Doctor and Expert Consultant in Strategic Planning

Ms. Jolien Verheust

Director Marketing & Communication | United Arab Emirates

Director Marketing & Communication

Ms. Fem Mulier

Director Alpinter | United Arab Emirates

Director Alpinter

Mr. Butch Lauwerier

Director P&D | United Arab Emirates

Director P&D

Ms. Sajeda Shawa

Head of UN OCHA UAE Office | United Arab Emirates

Sajeda Shawa is a seasoned humanitarian leader with over 18 years of experience in international humanitarian affairs, known for her unwavering commitment to crisis response, donor engagement, strategic partnerships and humanitarian diplomacy. A passionate Arab female advocate for communities affected by conflict, she brings deep regional expertise and a results-driven approach to mobilizing resources and amplifying impact across the humanitarian-development nexus. In February 2023, Ms. Shawa was appointed Head of the OCHA Office in the United Arab Emirates, where she leads the UAE Humanitarian Advisory Team. In this capacity, she is responsible for strengthening humanitarian coordination, advancing humanitarian diplomacy, and integrating climate action and gender-responsive approaches—particularly the empowerment of women in humanitarian settings—into emergency response efforts. She also focuses on supporting national policies that elevate the role of innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence to better serve communities in need during humanitarian crises. Additionally, Ms. Shawa serves as a Board Member of the Dubai International Scientific Advisory Board (DISAB), which supports the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD), reinforcing her leadership in high-level humanitarian policy dialogue and strategic partnerships within the region and beyond. Prior to her current role, Ms. Shawa played a pivotal role in the Syria Crisis response at OCHA’s Regional Office, where she led donor relations and resource mobilization efforts. She served concurrently as Special Advisor to the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, providing strategic counsel on donor engagement, advocacy, and regional humanitarian outreach. Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Shawa worked with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), where she managed field operations and humanitarian programs in Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, and Syria. She later spearheaded ECHO’s humanitarian outreach strategy to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, strengthening engagement with key actors in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. Earlier in her career, she contributed to USAID programs focused on humanitarian and development coordination. Beyond her official roles, Ms. Shawa is an active voice for women’s empowerment and social impact. She is a certified Board Director (IFC, 2022) and was featured among 45 Arab women role models in Empowering Through Healthy Living – Jordan 2020. She serves on the board of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW) and is a member of its Human Rights Committee. Additionally, she contributes as a mentor to several leadership and youth development initiatives, including the Global Thinkers Forum’s Athena Mentorship Program and BPW Jordan’s HIKMA Power Meetups. Ms. Shawa is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Education Program, with specializations in Public Leadership, Leadership and Character in Uncertain Times, and Leadership through Storytelling and Action. She holds a Master’s degree in International Studies, with a focus on humanitarian policy in the Gulf region post-Arab Spring, and a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature. A proud mother of teenagers, she is deeply committed to empowering youth and advancing global citizenship. She currently serves as the Volunteering President of the Junior Chamber International Senate Foundation in Jordan, fostering youth leadership, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, and building inclusive partnerships for social change.

Dr. Sama Al-Shawi

International Humanitarian Law Advisor, ICRC | United Arab Emirates

International Humanitarian Law Advisor, ICRC

Mr. Ahmed Moharram

Regional Armed Forces Delegates, ICRC | United Arab Emirates

Regional Armed Forces Delegates, ICRC

Mr. Sahba Sobhani

Director of UNDP’s Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development (ICPSD) | United Arab Emirates

Sahba Sobhani is the Director of UNDP IICPSD. Mr. Sobhani brings 22 years of experience in the private sector in Silicon Valley, Singapore and at UNDP as Programme Advisor, Team Leader and Programme Manager including as the technical lead for the recently endorsed UNDP private sector strategy. He has significant partnership development and advocacy experience with the private sector working with over 100 companies and business organizations and a track record of operational leadership, innovation and management of 6 global UNDP-led strategic multi-stakeholder partnerships and initiatives in the area of business and development including the Business Call to Action Initiative, the Connecting Business Initiative and the G20 Global Platform on Inclusive Business and has been the principal author and content manager of all 5 major UNDP-led reports in the area of private sector in development, Previously, he managed two key UNDP private sector initiatives in the executive office of the former Administrator of UNDP, Mark Malloch Brown, including the Commission on the Private Sector and Development, and the African Financial Markets Initiative. He co-authored Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor, the seminal report of the Private Sector Commission produced at the request of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Sobhani was the managing editor of the African Stock Markets Handbook. He is a graduate of Yale University and the Fletcher School of Diplomacy (USA).