In 2019, humanitarian practitioners attended a Peer Workshop on Frontline Humanitarian Negotiation in Muscat, Oman and applied their negotiation experiences to the tools developed by the CCHN. (Photo: CCHN)
From 6 to 8 April 2021, humanitarian staff from the Oman Charitable Organization, different Omani charities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies (IFRC), Red Crescent National Societies of the Gulf Countries and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) participated in an Online Peer Workshop on Humanitarian Frontline Negotiation in Arabic organized by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN) in collaboration with the ICRC mission in Oman.
Hosted by the Oman Charitable Organization, the first edition of this fully Arabic-speaking Peer Workshop was held in Muscat, Oman, in 2019. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the three-day Peer Workshop was held online and broadcasted from the CCHN studio in Geneva. It was facilitated by the ICRC Mission in Oman, the Oman Charitable Organization (OCO) and the IFRC.
A multi-agency event to strengthen collaboration
The Peer Workshop gathered around 20 senior humanitarian staff from the OCO, Al Jisr Foundation, Dar Al Atta’a Charity Association in Oman, the Saudi Red Crescent, the Qatar Red Crescent, the Kuwait Red Crescent, the Bahraini Red Crescent, the IFRC and the ICRC. The 5 CCHN Community Facilitators supporting this event are based in Jordan, Oman, Syria and Turkey.
During the three days, plenary sessions and exercises in small groups offered a valuable platform for knowledge development, and exchange on best practices on frontline humanitarian negotiation. Bringing together humanitarian staff working for different organizations in the Gulf Region and facilitators who have experience working in the humanitarian field in the Middle East enhanced and strengthened the dialogue and relationship between humanitarian organizations and workers in the Middle East. It also laid the groundwork for a long-term partnership between the CCHN, ICRC, IFRC, Red Crescent National Societies and Omani Charities on humanitarian negotiation and diplomacy.
Bringing the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement together
The event was opened with welcome speeches from Dr. Fawzi Abdullah Amin, Head of Delegation, Country Cluster Delegation for the GCC, International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies, Dubai – UAE who said: “We aim to reach an overall purpose of humanitarian negotiations to ensure the impartial protection of civilians affected by armed conflict and other people rendered hors de combat, as stipulated by international humanitarian law, human rights law, and refugee law.”
His intervention was followed by Mr. Mohammad Al Moqbali, Deputy Head of Relief and Assistance at the Oman Charitable Organization, who praised all the efforts done by the CCHN, ICRC and IFRC in support of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Charities in organizing this event, despite the challenging circumstances.
Finally, Ms Jamila Hammami, Head of Mission ICRC Oman, emphasized the collaborative aspect of the workshop saying that: “It is a great chance to bring together humanitarian and charitable organizations, such as the Red Crescent National Societies from the Gulf countries, Oman Charitable Organization and charitable organizations, to exchange on professional humanitarian practices. Peer exchanges and knowledge sharing aimed as well to empower practices in applying the CCHN tools to humanitarian negotiations”.