International Humanitarian City (IHC), based in Dubai, is a unique free zone built specifically for humanitarian, aid and development-sector organisations — the only free zone of its kind in the region dedicated to this sector rather than commercial trading or services.
What IHC is built for
IHC hosts UN agencies, international NGOs, humanitarian logistics companies and aid-sector businesses, with dedicated warehousing for emergency relief supplies and a specific operating model built around rapid humanitarian response rather than standard commercial trade. Many major UN bodies and international humanitarian organisations maintain a regional logistics presence here specifically for this reason.
Costs and what drives them
IHC's cost structure and eligibility differ meaningfully from a standard commercial free zone, since licensing is generally restricted to genuine non-profit, humanitarian and aid-sector entities rather than open to any commercial activity. A standard for-profit trading or consulting business would not typically qualify for IHC licensing — this is a sector-restricted zone, not a general-purpose one.
Is IHC the right fit?
IHC is specifically for humanitarian, aid, development and UN-affiliated organisations needing a Dubai logistics and operational base for that work. For any standard commercial business — even one serving the humanitarian sector as a commercial supplier — a general free zone or mainland licence is the correct comparison instead, via this site's Free Zone vs Mainland Tool.