This operation has been modified and extended in time until 31 December 2009 as per Budget revision 6 (see below).
In October 2001, WFP started Special Operation 10061, which benefited humanitarian efforts in the region by providing transport to humanitarian personnel in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In October 2002, the operational range of the air-service was extended to include Côte d’Ivoire.
Since the operation’s inception, WFP’s air service has facilitated the movement of nearly 18,000 passengers from 180 organizations (UN, NGOs and donors), transported urgently needed non-food items, and has provided 53 medical evacuations and 6 security evacuations in the region.
In 2005, this Special Operation is expected to sustain air passenger services in the sub-region in support of the entire humanitarian community and WFP regional operations under both the PRRO 10064.3 (covering 1.5 million beneficiaries in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea) and PRRO 10372.0 in Côte d’Ivoire (targeting more than 685,000 beneficiaries).
Special Operation 10061.3 remains a key pillar of the WFP strategy in the subregion by allowing safe and fast movement of humanitarian actors within the most important operational bases in the four countries and by providing the vital support at a key stage of resettlement, repatriation and reintegration programs in West Coastal Africa.
