Provision of Humanitarian Air Services in Mali

This Special Operation (SO) is designed to continue the provision of safe and reliable air transport services to the humanitarian community in Mali in 2017. The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) was launched in 2013 under SO 200521 in response to the request of the humanitarian community to enable aid workers reach the population affected by deteriorated security situation and harsh climatic conditions such as drought. 

The operation aims to facilitate humanitarian access by providing a safe, reliable, effective and efficient air transport service to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations (UN) agencies, government counterparts and donor representatives in Mali. The humanitarian actors estimate that about 3 million people will be food insecure in 2017, while 852,000 children, pregnant and lactating women will remain malnourished . The air service will facilitate access to the population in need and equally ensure that air support is available for medical and security evacuations. 

With a budget of US$ 9,080,716, SO 201047 will be managed by the WFP Mali Country Office on behalf of the humanitarian community, from 1 January 2017 to 31 March 2017. UNHAS will serve approximately eight destinations out of Bamako, the operational base, with a fleet of two fixed wing aircraft, one Beechcraft 1900D and one Let 410.