UN Emergency Relief Coordinator to seek Gulf region partnerships

(Dubai/New York/Bahrain/Geneva: 2 April 2008): John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, is scheduled to arrive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday 5 April 2008, where he will begin a six-day mission to the Gulf region. The purpose of his visit is to strengthen collaboration and partnership between Gulf States and the United Nations in addressing humanitarian issues worldwide.

Mr. Holmes, who will travel together with Mr. Abdul Aziz Muhammad Arrukban, the Special Humanitarian Envoy for the Secretary General, will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. Mr. Holmes and Mr. Arrukban will meet with government officials, senior representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Red Crescent Societies to encourage their active support of UN humanitarian activities. Mr. Holmes will also give the keynote speech at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD) Conference on Tuesday 8 April.

The following press events are planned for this mission:

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tuesday 8 April
Press conference, 12:30 - 13:30
Exhibition Centre
Members of the press are requested to collect their badges from the media desk located outside Hall # 5.

Kuwait City, Kuwait Wednesday 9 April
Press conference, time to be confirmed
Sheraton Hotel

Doha, Qatar Thursday 10 April
Press conference, time to be confirmed
UNESCO office

In addition, Mr. Holmes and Mr. Arrukban will be available for media interviews during the course of the mission.

For more information and to schedule interviews, please contact: Mr. Nejib Friji, UNIC Manama Mobile: + 973 397 721 97, friji@un.org; Ms. Nadia Evans, Dubai, Mobile: + 971 (0) 50 227 9808, Landline: + 971 (0)4 368 1022, evans2@un.org; Ms. Christina Bennett, New York, Mobile: +1 917 435 8617, Landline: +1 917 367 8059, bennett1@un.org: Ms. Elisabeth Byrs, Geneva, Mobile: + 41 (O) 79 473 45 70, Landline: + 41 22 917 26 53, byrs@un.org