The United Nations has restarted humanitarian flights in Niger on Wednesday, which were halted following a coup in July in a nation where over four million individuals require assistance.
“The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) resumes domestic flights on Wednesday,” the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, told AFP in Niger’s capital, Niamey.
The Geneva office of OCHA confirmed on Tuesday night that the reintroduction of domestic flight services comes after the removal of limitations on internal flights, initially imposed following the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum by military leaders on July 26.
The UN agency stated that this will allow the resumption of monthly shipments of nearly 2.4 tonnes of medical supplies, along with facilitating medical evacuations for both humanitarian staff and individuals in need.
However, the organization expressed expectations of facing challenges in refueling its aircraft.
The UN flights are aimed at delivering supplies to expansive and remote areas, including Diffa in the southeast, where numerous Nigerian refugees and Nigerien citizens have sought refuge from extremist violence.
Since the military overthrow of its democratically elected leader, Niger has faced significant economic sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
According to humanitarian sources, substantial quantities of cargo designated for Niger are still stuck at the port of Cotonou in neighboring Benin.
In addition to the imposed sanctions, various Western nations condemned the coup, leading to the suspension of their development aid to Niger.
Despite the flight prohibition, the UN sustained its operations in Niger following the coup, providing crucial aid to approximately 4.3 million people reliant on humanitarian assistance.
