Aid worth R3m off to Somalia
2005-01-28 08:34
Johannesburg - The Gift of the Givers Foundation is to undertake a mercy flight to tsunami victims in Somalia on Sunday.
It is the first from the African continent to fly into Somalia directly, carrying 35 tons of aid supplies valued at R3m.
About 54 000 people have been affected by the December 26 disaster.
The organisation's national co-ordinator Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said in a statement on Friday the supplies consisted of tents, blankets, medicines, medical items, water purification tablets to purify 10 million litres of water and 25 tons of food including a high-energy protein supplement.
Ten doctors, representatives from the departments of foreign affairs, health and water and forestry affairs, will accompany the Gift of the Givers team.
Sooliman said all land arrangements and logistics would be supplied by the United Nations and the World Food Programme.
Preparations for the mission commenced on December 30 2004 as part of an overall relief for tsunami victims in south Asia and Africa.
"Being the first agency in the world to respond to Sri Lanka within 24 hours of the disaster it was imperative that Somalia, the neglected African country, and being closer to home received urgent attention.
Dangerous and difficult
"Unfortunately, in the absence of a functional government in Mogadishu (the government operates in absentia from Nairobi), the task was highly complicated. With full support and daily reports from our foreign affairs department, through the Africa desk and embassy in Nairobi, the appropriate representatives in the UN and World Food Programme were identified," Sooliman said.
He added that negotiations with tribal leaders, preparation of an airfield, provision of trucks and a small aircraft, were all responsibilities undertaken by the UN.
He said total diplomatic support has been provided by the South African government.
"Unlike other mercy missions this one is somewhat complicated because an Ilushyin-76 cannot land in the designated area the cargo will be trans-loaded into two smaller Antonov aircraft in Entebbe, and these aircraft will refuel in Addis Ababa before flying into Somalia."
Sooliman said trucks would then travel a 200km land route to reach the affected area.
- SAPA