GUINEA HUMANITARIAN FLIGHTS MAY STOP DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING

(Conakry/New York, 2 March 2010): Unless funding is secured, the World Food Programme-managed United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) could be discontinued in Guinea before the end of March. The funding shortfall for 2010 amounts to over US$3 million.

UNHAS flights in Guinea were established to facilitate the movement of humanitarian personnel and the transport of urgent relief items, as well as linking Guinea to other coastal West Africa states, including Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia. In Guinea, the UNHAS operation covers Haute Guinee and Guinee Forestiere, the latter being regularly cut off from the rest of the country during the rainy season, from June to October.

"The ongoing unstable political and security situation in the country requires a continuation of UNHAS to provide safe and rapid response. Besides, residual humanitarian needs still exceed the capacity of the Government," said Anthony Ohemeng-Boamah, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Guinea.

UNHAS remains a key pillar of the humanitarian community allowing movement of relief actors at a key stage of resettlement, repatriation and reintegration programs in coastal West Africa.

"I am deeply concerned about the impact of a possible discontinuation of the flights in the absence of alternatives in terms of air transport," said Fatma Samoura, WFP Guinea Country Director. "The United Nations has estimated that over 1.8 million persons could be affected in Guinea."

In 2009, UNHAS in Guinea transported 5,858 passengers and 85 tons of relief items. The air operation also carried out four medical evacuations of humanitarian personnel.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 347 244 2106, bunker@un.org; Nicholas Reader +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117,reader@un.org; John Nyaga,+ 1 917 367 9262, mobile +1 917 318 8917, nyagaj@un.org; Elisabeth Byrs OCHA-Geneva,+41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org.

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.