Page 16 - LUA November December 2024 Issue for website

SPECIAL REPORT

transport aid to needy areas. "Centrally
positioned between the East and West,
with omnidirectional access to Africa,
the airport serves as a crucial hub that
streamlines operations and facilitates
seamless coordination of cargo shipments.
This setup ensures faster and more reliable
distribution of essential supplies.
"The hub-and-spoke model allows us to
connect multiple global destinations with
ease, enabling aid to be quickly routed
to crisis regions across Africa, Asia and
the Middle East. The airport’s advanced
infrastructure, including state-of-the-art
cargo handling facilities, further enhances
our ability to manage large volumes of
humanitarian aid, ensuring timely delivery
to the most vulnerable communities.
"Additionally, the network’s
efficiency is bolstered by our extensive
fleet and dedicated teams, who work
around the clock to ensure that aid
reaches its destination swiftly. This
logistical advantage not only supports
our humanitarian missions but also
strengthens our overall operational To ensure effective international support Qatar Airways Cargo has transported
capabilities, allowing us to respond reaches people in need, it is important to aid from major hubs like Qatar, the
promptly to emergencies and provide have centralised communication hubs. USA, Canada and the UAE to numerous
critical support where it is needed most." The primary global control tower is in destinations including Jordan, Kenya,
Transporting aid requires special Copenhagen, Denmark." Egypt, Nepal, Bangladesh and Rwanda,
knowledge on how to ship cargo and based on the specific needs of each region.
how to do door-to-door services, adds WHAT AID MOVES MORE The healthcare sector, especially the
Rouillon of Quick. "Our dedicated and NOW..AND WHERE delivery of medical supplies and shelter
passionate relief logistics specialists have Areas with complex and protracted materials, has seen the transport of
expertise in handling both long-term humanitarian crises, especially Sudan, maximum aid, addressing urgent needs in
humanitarian projects and unforeseen Gaza & Lebanon, says Steege of Airlink. regions affected by crises."
crises. They arrange reliable transport that "64 percent of aid materials sent by Quick has handled shipping for the
best suits the need, including sea, air or Airlink this year were health-specific International Breast Milk Project - a
road. This is facilitated through our close (pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and non-profit organisation that solicits
partnership with carriers. Our strong medical equipment), and 92 percent of donations of human milk and provides
understanding of local requirements, aid materials sent by Airlink supported the milk to infants in need, says Rouillon.
culture and authorities, including customs health outcomes/interventions - the "The organisation provides donor milk
processes and trade regulations, help us aforementioned health aid as well as to malnourished, orphaned or diseased
navigate aid transport. fortified food to support populations infants in South Africa. The project
"With our long experience in facing famine/severe food insecurity included consolidating the donated
emergency logistics, we’ve been helping and water/hygiene supplies that help milk and transporting it temperature
various international humanitarian vulnerable populations avert serious controlled to Africa.
agencies and NGOs expand the disease outbreaks like cholera. Together, "We are also working on a new project
scope of how and who they can help. clean water, medical supplies and high- with Saving Mothers to deliver birth kits
Kuehne+Nagel has established Emergency nutrition food make up the backbone of a and labour essentials to Kenya. Kenya
and Relief Logistics control towers acting health-centred response." is considered one of the highest-risk
as centralised hubs that direct goods and Qatar Cargo has delivered key countries in the world to be pregnant
information to areas in need and leverage items such as medical supplies, shelter with some hospitals lacking even the
the global Kuehne+Nagel network on materials, educational materials and basics to deliver a child. Expectant
behalf of emergency and relief partners. other humanitarian aid. Drusch says: mothers are often turned away and told
The need for relief logistics operations "These items have played a critical role in to buy the required supplies of rubber
can emerge at any time and in any region supporting various sectors, particularly gloves/aprons which most are unable to
of the world—remote or highly populated. healthcare, disaster relief and education. do. The distance to a hospital is far and the

14 LUA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2024