Expert Advisors Announced for 2012

Washington, DC, March 03, 2012 --(PR.com)-- 2011 saw a series of unprecedented disasters, including the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, the Japanese tsunami, the earthquake in New Zealand as well as floods in Pakistan and the Philippines. Therefore the need for uniform, international response strategies has never been greater.

The number of people affected by humanitarian emergencies rose to 263 million last year and it is predicted that the number of floods, famines or other climate related disasters will continue to increase, affecting 375 million people every year by 2015.

This year’s Aid & International Development Forum (AIDF), taking place on 6-7 June in Washington D.C. is looking to assist in effective coordinated international disaster response by providing a platform for NGOs, UN agencies, international aid agencies and governments to build relationships, address humanitarian aid delivery issues and discuss development challenges.

Now in its 12th year, AIDF will be showcasing the latest innovative solutions to these issues. In line with humanitarian reform and the UN Cluster Approach, the free to attend event is organized into eight sectors to include; transport and logistics, water and sanitation, ICT and energy, health and medical, peace and security, finance and education, shelter and food and agriculture. Each zone will feature dedicated exhibits, networking opportunities and workshop sessions, resulting in greater and more efficient collaboration amongst all stakeholders involved.

Expert Advisors
AIDF is pleased to announce our panel of Expert Advisors for 2012. The panel are consulting with AIDF on the agenda for this year’s event which includes sessions on water sanitation, shelter, education, the Arab Spring, the East African Crisis and utilizing partnerships to improve humanitarian response.

Expert Advisor

Specialist Sector

David Hartshorn, Secretary General,
Global VSAT Forum

ICTs

Governor Scott McCallum, President & CEO, AidMatrix

Supply Chain Management & Procurement

Jessica Vogel, Director of Programs & Operations
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)

Peace & Security

John Abood, Team Leader & Contracting Officer, USAID

Procurement

John Leach, Head of Operations, ShelterBox

Shelter & Relief

Paul Jansen, Executive Director, Fleet Forum

Transport

As well as workshop sessions, there will be procurement networking opportunities where solutions providers will have the opportunity to pitch their products or services to procurement officials and determine how best they can work with NGO, UN and government entities.

This year’s new Interactive Zone provides an opportunity for suppliers to demonstrate their innovations in a way that the audience can touch and interact with. The sessions will be based on the phases of emergency management: Prevention, Mitigation & Preparedness, Disaster & Response and Recovery & Reconstruction. Presentations will draw on experiences from the field to bring these presentations to life.

For further information about the Aid & International Development Forum, please visit www.aidforumonline.org or contact:

Roopi Woodall, Marketing Manager
rwoodall@aidforumonline.org

About the Aid & International Development Forum (AIDF)
AIDF 2012 is a free to attend event and will take place on June 6-7 2012 at the Walter E Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C.

AIDF (previously International Aid & Trade) is a world leading forum for humanitarian relief professionals to cement relationships, build partnerships, gain understanding and share experiences. Having been acquired by Henley Media Group in 2005, international Aid & Trade ran in Geneva in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and in 2009 the event moved to its present location in Washington D.C.

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7871 0188
Website: www.aidforumonline.org

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