Dare Babalola
The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has discontinued its fixed-wing air service in Nigeria due to a lack of funding.
The service, operated by the World Food Programme (WFP), had been transporting humanitarian staff, medical supplies, and critical cargo to and from the crisis epicenter in Borno and Yobe states for nine years.
According to Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, during the noon press briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York, the decision to end the service was made due to insufficient funding.
“In a country that has experienced unending conflict for the past 16 years, road transport remains extremely dangerous and air transport is essential,” Dujarric said.
The WFP had warned that it might be forced to suspend emergency food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria due to funding constraints. WFP Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Margot van der Velden, stated that the organization urgently needs $130 million to sustain emergency operations in the region for six months.
“We have exhausted our food and nutrition resources,” Van der Velden said. “At the beginning of August, we will have to face the heartbreaking reality of having to suspend our operations for the populations in northeast Nigeria.”
The WFP is concerned that without life-saving assistance, millions of vulnerable people could face severe hunger, migration, or exploitation by extremist groups.
However, Van der Velden commended the Nigerian government for its support in addressing the humanitarian situation in the northeast.
The UN Spokesperson noted that $5.4 million is needed to keep the UN air service operational for the next six months.
“Without this funding, the humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria risks being cut off from the very people it is meant to serve,” Dujarric regretted.
