Central African Republic
Insecurity in the Central African Republic (CAR) – resulting from acts of banditry, the presence of militants hostile to the current regime, foreign militants and armies as well as the general proliferation of small arms – has reached such a level that relief workers in the region can no longer travel safely by road to reach their areas of operations. Consequently, the demand of air travel, which is crucial to the provision of an effective and timely humanitarian response to internally displaced persons and host populations throughout the CAR, has increased.
WFP UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) provides efficient air transport services to humanitarian agencies and donor representatives in Central African Republic and carries out staff medical and security evacuations. The network of air services covers nearly the entire country in addition to cross-border flights to Yaoundé (Cameroon) and N’djamena (Chad). From the beginning of the year until the end of September 2009, more than 4,000 passengers and about 70 metric tons of cargo had been transported.
The operation was approved to operate for two aircraft. However, due to the funding shortage, the fleet was reduced to one aircraft (LET-410) in August 2008.
