Humanitarian Air Service in Somalia - World Food Programme 2009

With the overthrow of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) government in Somalia by Ethiopian forces in late 2006 open conflict has erupted between the Ethiopian-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and remnants of the Islamic Courts regime. This has caused a severe degradation of the humanitarian situation in the country. Over 600 000 people have fled fighting in and around Mogadishu and 1.5 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Key needs include food water and sanitation health care shelter and protection. Humanitarian access is severely limited by insecurity and poor infrastructure destroyed by decades of civil war and thus relies heavily on the UN's Humanitarian Air Service. CIDA support to the Humanitarian Air Service assists in the provision of regular and chartered flights to key locations in Somalia thereby supporting relief programmes and the provision of humanitarian assistance in Somalia.