Khartoum/Nairobi/Geneva, 16 May 2023: A new batch of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) humanitarian supplies, weighing 17 tons, arrived in Port Sudan today from Dubai. Transportation of these supplies was made possible through a European Union humanitarian air bridge flight. The IFRC is hopeful that this air bridge will be maintained to ensure further aid is provided in the coming weeks.
Among the household items delivered were blankets, jerricans, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats and tarpaulins for 500 families. This dispatch will be followed in the coming days by a second batch of medical supplies including Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK) to increase access to much needed healthcare services for thousands of people affected by the conflict. Upon arrival, they will be handed over to the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.
Mohammed Mukhier, IFRC Regional Director for Africa said:
“Most of our aid supplies were already distributed to people in need, despite some being looted in Khartoum and Darfur. So, this international humanitarian shipment comes at a crucial time as it will help the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to assist people caught between the conflict and the next flooding, which is typical in the country.”
Since conflict escalated, thousands of families have been cut off from basic services, including health services, food, water, and shelter and are in desperate need of help. Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers have been working tirelessly, right from the start, to provide lifesaving assistance to affected people, despite the dangers they face and the fact that they are also affected.
They are running a broad range of humanitarian services, including first aid, psychosocial support, family reunification for people who have been separated from their loved ones, food and water distribution, shelter provision, and safe and dignified burials for those who lost their lives. On May 4, the IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal to support the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to deliver assistance to 200,000 people affected by the conflict.
“Our volunteers will deliver the relief items wherever access and security allow. For that purpose, we renew our call for safe and unhindered access and passage to allow humanitarian help to reach those in need,” said Mr Mukhier.
While supporting the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in assisting people in Sudan, IFRC is also scaling up its response to meet the urgent needs of those fleeing the conflict and crossing into neighbouring countries: Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
[email protected]
In Nairobi: Rita Nyaga, +254 722 527553, [email protected]
In Geneva:
Anna Tuson, +41 79 895 6924
Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367
In Dakar:
Moustapha Diallo, +221 77 450 10 04, [email protected]
The IFRC is a recognized provider of global humanitarian supply chain services—both to members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, but also to humanitarian organizations and governments around the world.
Dubai,9 September 2022 - Additional aid has been dispatched out of Dubai’s International Humanitarian City (IHC) to Sudan this week as Dubai continues to respond to multiple humanitarian emergencies across the globe. A cargo flight made available by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, departed on Wednesday to Khartoum, following floods that have affected more than 200,000 people and claimed the lives of at least 112 individuals.
His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Supervision of IHC, said:
“Dubai is a key international player in delivering and facilitating humanitarian assistance as exemplified by the recent response to humanitarian crises. Thanks to the vision, leadership, and generosity of the Dubai government and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the IHC, with its unique expertise and standing as the world’s largest humanitarian hub, is operating an effective and efficient flow of relief items to multiple countries this week on behalf of the United Nations and other international organizations, building on decades of experience and Dubai’s position as a global logistics hub.”
As part of an ongoing humanitarian airbridge to the African continent, the first of multiple Khartoum-bound flights carried more than 90 tons of aid from the stockpiles of two of IHC’s members, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). A second plane loaded with additional aid and relief items, will arrive today in Khartoum, carrying 100 tons of additional relief items provided by the IFRC.
Ilir Caushaj, IFRC Global Fleet and Logistics Hub Head in Dubai, added:
“As a response to the heavy and continuous rains being experienced in six states in Sudan, IFRC is sending urgent humanitarian aid to those affected and displaced due to torrential rains and floods in the country, to help alleviate their suffering and improve their living conditions. The supplies and humanitarian aid include blankets, hygiene kits, foldable jerrycans, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, mats, tarpaulins, and water purification agents, supporting over 20,000 people with a total value of CHF 340,000. We thank the IHC and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for their long-standing support to humanitarian organizations and generosity in facilitating and expediting the transportation of aid to those who need it most.”
Over the first week of September, following the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the IHC is facilitating two humanitarian air bridges in support of international humanitarian response efforts in Libya, Sudan, and Pakistan.
For more information, please contact:
Malak Atkeh, IFRC/GCC, [email protected], Mob +971 564780874
Magalie El Hajj,International Humanitarian City, Dubai,[email protected],M +971 56 477 6412
Since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, Kuwait Red Crescent Society and Egyptian Red Crescent Society teams have rushed to provide humanitarian relief to the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. The Kuwaiti Red Crescent has provided food, medical aid, and necessary supplies to fleeing people affected by the conflict. While the Egyptian Red Crescent has assisted and evacuated Egyptians from Poland and Romania, and provided humanitarian support to others affected alike, including Arabic-speaking people.
Dr. Hilal Al Sayer, President of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) said after meeting his Polish counterpart, Jery Bisek: “Kuwaiti aid includes medicines, medical supplies, food, milk for children and other necessities, and it reflects the Kuwaiti leadership and people’s solidarity with affected people living under such difficult circumstances.”
Al-Sayer affirmed his country’s keenness to participate in humanitarian relief in all parts of the world, in line with the Kuwaiti humanitarian obligations. He stressed the need to further explore all ways to enhance cooperation and joint coordination to help alleviate the suffering of refugees from Ukraine, with partner organizations in the humanitarian field and with the Polish Red Cross.
In turn, the President of the Polish Red Cross expressed his appreciation and gratitude after a Kuwaiti military aid plane loaded with relief materials and medical aid, estimated at 33.5 tons, arrived at Warsaw Airport in Poland.
Bisek said: “The Kuwaiti Red Crescent is one of the first National Society responders that stepped in to provide the necessary support and assistance for those fleeing Ukraine”, adding that "the needs are still massive".
In parallel, the Egyptian Red Crescent Society continues to provide aid and support to the Egyptian students and families it helped evacuate safely home after they had fled to Poland and Romania.
Volunteers have worked tirelessly to ensure transportation for Egyptians fleeing from Ukraine across the borders of Poland and Romania to the airport. They also provided them with free hotel accommodation and food, travel documents, cash assistance, medical services, and psychological support.
Students and their families expressed deep gratitude to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society for standing by their side in this ordeal, meeting their needs, and ensuring their safe return to their home country.
The Egyptian Red Crescent Society, in collaboration with Polish and Romanian Red Cross Societies, has also established two relief centres at the Ukrainian-Romanian and Ukrainian-Polish borders to provide aid to Egyptians, Arabic speakers and others fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, especially women and children.
The Egyptian Red Crescent Society also published a slogan on its Facebook page “Safety and Relief Without Discrimination’.
Prior to the conflict, 6000 Egyptians lived in Ukraine, 3,000 of whom are students enrolled in the country’s universities.
Buenos Aires, 8 October, 2021 - The Argentine Red Cross (ARC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will launch a Humanitarian Logistics Hub to expand the Red Cross humanitarian response across Southern Cone countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The Humanitarian Hub will have the capacity to pre-position sufficient humanitarian aid to address the needs of up to 10,000 people affected by emergencies and disasters. The Humanitarian Hub is located at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires. It will operate with support from the Cargo Terminal of Argentina, a logistics unit for international trade led by Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 (AA2000), the country’s largest private airport operator.
Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General, said: "This Hub allows us to deliver humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable communities, faster and more efficiently. Argentina will be the point from which we will mobilize immediate assistance in water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, and food security to support people affected by crises and disasters in Southern Cone countries. This strategic and innovative space joins our global network of humanitarian logistics centres and strengthen our collaboration with national authorities, the private sector, and other stakeholders.”
The services provided by the Hub include procurement and transportation, warehousing and handling, contingency stock, specialized logistics support, and training and capacity building of the neighbouring National Red Cross Societies and other institutions. The Hub will also host the Humanitarian Innovation Laboratory, aimed at providing innovative solutions to the most urgent social, economic and development problems in the region.
Diego Tipping, President of the Argentine Red Cross, said: "This space strengthens the role that Argentina is playing as a leader in the humanitarian field and fosters the bilateral and multilateral cooperation among national governments, regional mechanisms, and the United Nations system. Based on the multiple alliances that the Argentine Red Cross has with national companies and corporations, the Hub will also pay special attention to the local purchase of supplies, encouraging local production, which is crucial to support the economic growth of the country".
The Presidency of Argentina has sponsored the agreement between AA2000, the IFRC and Argentine Red Cross. The Secretary General of the IFRC, Jagan Chapagain was in Argentina on Friday 8 October, to sign the agreement and visit the site of the new Hub.
Since April 2020, AA2000 has provided a warehouse space to the Argentine Red Cross,for the storage of humanitarian supplies used by the National Society in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information and to arrange an interview, please contact:
In Buenos Aires: Santiago Ramayo, [email protected] +54 9 11 4937 3134
In Panama: Susana Arroyo, [email protected] +507 69993199
The IFRC is keen to widen our range of suppliers in order to find quality goods and services at competitive prices that will support us to deliverourmission.
