World Food Programme – COVID-19 - 2020

March 2020 – In response to the COVID19 global pandemic the United Nations launched the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) on 25 March 2020. The GHRP seeks to respond to the direct public health and immediate humanitarian consequences of the pandemic. It has three strategic priorities: 1) containing the spread of the pandemic; 2) decreasing the deterioration of human assets and rights social cohesion and livelihoods; and 3) protecting assisting and advocating for refugees internally displaced people migrants and host communities particularly vulnerable to the pandemic. With GAC’s support WFP is providing tangible assets and supply chain services required for humanitarian and health actors to be able to deliver the response outlined in this GHRP. Project activities include: (1) establishing and reinforcing international staging areas and regional hubs for cargo consolidation and forwarding; (2) providing logistics services through sea vessels and aircrafts from international staging areas to regional hubs and onwards to priority country points of entry; and (3) providing the humanitarian community with medical evacuation services and the infrastructure for field clinics (not medical equipment) for front line aid workers.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to international staging areas and regional hubs for cargo consolidation and forwarding; (2) increased access to logistics services from international staging areas to regional hubs and onwards to priority country points of entry; and (3) providing the humanitarian community with medical evacuation services and the infrastructure for field clinics for front line aid workers. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises.