The first of three humanitarian flights organised by the Italian Cooperation, on Deputy Minister Del Re’s initiative, in collaboration with the Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) of the European Commission departed this morning from Brindisi destination Mogadishu, in the framework of the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge initiative and with the support of the United Nations Humanitarian Emergency Response Depot (UNHRD).
The operation, with a total load of 42 tons of humanitarian aid (including medical equipment for the response to Covid-19), is the result of intense collaboration and coordination between the Foreign Ministry, DG ECHO, the Italian Embassy, the EU Delegation in Mogadishu and the Somali authorities.
The cargo was made available not only by the Foreign Ministry itself, but also by Italian Civil Society Organisations and United Nations Agencies. At destination, humanitarian aid will support the assistance activities of the Somali Authorities and humanitarian organizations in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 and in assisting the population affected by the recent exceptional floods.
The operation is a tangible demonstration of the “Team Europe” approach, which aims to put EU and Member States’ initiatives into practice in the best possible way. Italy, also through its Development Cooperation, has a high-profile presence in Somalia, and this operation is a further demonstration of the traditional friendship and closeness of our country to the Somali people.
