The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a generous contribution of US$ 6 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to keep the Humanitarian Air Service flying, in support of the humanitarian responses in Central African Republic (C.A.R.)
Lack of commercial air service provider with the required international standards, insecurity and weak infrastructure which render surface travel impracticable and risky, make the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), one of the rapid and safest options in accessing vulnerable population in remote areas of the war-torn C.A.R.
“The contribution from USAID/ OFDA (Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance) is lifesaving assistance to UNHAS, which current funding runs out in April,” said Giancarlo Cirri, the Representative and Country Director of WFP in the Central African Republic. “At the time where the humanitarian needs are increasing in the country, the vital role played by UNHAS for safe, effective and efficient access to beneficiaries is overwhelming” he added.
UNHAS is operating in C.A.R. since 2006 and remains the only air service that provides equal access to staff of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations (UN) agencies, donor organizations and diplomatic missions. Some 160 user organizations (129 NGOs including 88 INGOs and 41 NNGOs, 20 UN Agencies, 5 Donors and 6 Diplomatic Representations) rely on UNHAS to implement and monitor humanitarian activities.
Thanks to the USAID/OFDA contribution, UNHAS has a lifeline to operate until September 2019, to serve 24 regular and 8 ad hoc destinations in-country and “hot spots”, where the bulk of the humanitarian response is concentrated.
In 2018, UNHAS transported more than 21,694 passengers, some 190 mt of light cargo and conducted 193 security relocations from the field to Bangui as well as 26 medical evacuations.
Original source: WFP
Published on 27 March 2019
