The 2016 World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul aimed to encourage global commitment toward reforming the humanitarian system. Member States used the Summit as a platform to pledge their support for humanitarian initiatives and organizations such as the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) which took part in the Summit.
CHS participated in two panels organized at the Summit: Youth as Actors, Volunteering in Humanitarian Settings, organized by Reach Out to Asia and Co-ordination and Joint Cooperation among Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Civil Society Organizations organized by The Humanitarian Forum, a CHS partner.
CHS participants focused on the need to build capacity in the region beyond skills training through establishing a center of research excellence capable of generating and owning knowledge in the humanitarian field. Further, CHS argued that local humanitarian actors must work towards ending their dependency on international donors and find sustainable mechanisms for localized funding.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, H.E., Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, announced Qatar's efforts in humanitarian work, which includes assisting the development of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies.