UN Ends Aid Flights to Sudan

World Food Program to cut air service for aid workers in Sudan
Du Guodong

www.chinaview.cn

NAIROBI, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN World Food Program said on
Tuesday that the ability of 14,000 aid workers to travel to Darfur
and other parts of Sudan will be reduced with immediate effect due
to a lack of funding for the Humanitarian Air Service.

WFP said in a statement issued in Nairobi that its air service
needs an infusion of 20 million US dollars by June 15 in order to
avoid some of the cuts and maintain full service through the coming
months.

"Since March, we have been facing the possible closure of the
air service because of a lack of funds. The measures announced today
are aimed to keep vital services going for longer, while we wait for
new funding to be confirmed," said Kenro Oshidari, WFP's
representative in Sudan.

The total shortfall is 48 million dollars on the 77 million
dollars budget for this year.

WFP-HAS, the air service run by WFP on behalf of the entire
humanitarian community in Sudan, must cut one helicopter immediately
and two fixed-wing aircraft on June 19 from its fleet because it is
unable to cover the costs of carrying aid workers to remote parts of
Darfur and southern Sudan.

Also, fees for helicopter flights in Darfur will increase from
July 1.

"Undoubtedly, this is a blow to the humanitarian effort in Sudan.
The impact will be felt by vulnerable people who depend on the
international community for crucial services," he said.

Oshidari added that the cuts will also reduce the ability to
respond to urgent medical evacuation requests and staff relocations
because of insecurity. Last year, WFP-HAS carried out 267 security
and medical evacuations.

WFP said the Darfur helicopter fleet will be reduced to five
from six with immediate effect. About 3,000 humanitarian workers use
WFP helicopters each month to reach remote parts of Darfur, where
travel by road is impossible due to insecurity, banditry or poor
road conditions.

One helicopter currently due for maintenance will not be
replaced, bringing the fleet down to five helicopters, the UN agency
said.

"Helicopter fees will be increased as of July 1. The user fees
paid by humanitarian passengers on helicopters will be raised to 100
dollars per flight, from the current 40 dollars - a 250 percent
hike. This makes the helicopter fee equal to that of the fixed wing
aircraft," said WFP.

The UN agency also announced the reduction of flights to Defer
and south Sudan as of June 19 and noted that it will not renew
contracts on two fixed-wing aircraft: one Dash-8 and one Beechcraft
1900.

"Flights to Darfur from the capital Khartoum will be reduced to
five days a week from six. Service to Juba, the capital of south
Sudan, will be reduced to three flights a week from four, while
service to Rumbek and Malakal will be reduced to two flights a week
from three," it said.

"The cuts announced today will reduce monthly spending from 6.2
million dollars to 5.2 million dollars. About 70 percent of the
budget supports Darfur humanitarian activities," it said.

So far this year, donors have provided 13.2 million dollars in
confirmed contributions to WFP-HAS, about 17 percent of the required
budget.