Combating coronavirus: 3 UAE aircraft to provide relief to Covid-19 hit nations until end of 2020

The UAE has dedicated a fleet of three aircraft to enable the movement of life-saving cargo.

An international air bridge operation has been launched by the UAE, in partnership with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to provide essential health and humanitarian supplies to nations around the world grappling with the impact of Covid-19.
The UAE has dedicated a fleet of three aircraft to enable the movement of life-saving cargo and personnel where they are needed most until the end of the year. The decision to boost support was taken within hours of a conversation between His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the WFP executive director David Beasley.
"At this grave moment in history, when so many countries face enormous challenges at home, the UAE is once again stepping up as a leading first responder to global crises and making its significant capabilities available in the service of humanity," said Beasley.
The first airlift departed Abu Dhabi carrying important medical equipment from Oslo to various locations. "The WFP has been working tirelessly to set up the logistics backbone for the global Covid-19 effort," said Beasley. "This partnership with the UAE will expand our capacity and support health and humanitarian organisations as we rally together to limit the spread of the virus and its devastating effects."
The UAE-WFP air bridge operation will represent a major contribution to the Covid-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan launched by the UN Secretary-General at the end of March. The initiative comes as the WFP warns of a global humanitarian catastrophe facing communities on the edge of survival in parts of the world already dealing with economic shocks, conflict and natural disaster. The joint air bridge will reconnect aid operations with a supply of medical equipment, goods and expertise needed to confront Covid-19 in the world's most fragile settings.
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