Red tape could ground humanitarian flights

Bureaucratic wrangling over airport fees is threatening to halt all World Food Programme (WFP) flights in Angola. The flights provide vital food aid to around one million hungry Angolans as well as access to remote areas for thousands of aid workers. ENANA, Angola's national airport administrator, wants WFP to pay all airport taxes, including navigation, landing, passenger and parking fees for flights operated by the UN food agency. Jose Fernandez, WFP's Head of Air Operations, told IRIN that unless an outstanding debt for the fees was paid, ENANA would refuse to allow WFP's flights to take off and land as of 23 October. "There is an agreement between the MINARS (the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration) and WFP that all costs relating to these humanitarian flights will be borne by the government," Fernandez said. "WFP's Country Director has written the MINARS minister, Joao Baptista Kussumua, drawing attention to this matter," he added. Each month WFP distributes around 10,000 mt of emergency food aid to 1.1 million Angolans unable to feed themselves after a brutal 27-year civil war that ended in April 2002. The agency also offers a free passenger service to UN staff, NGOs and the donor community to and from areas that remain largely inaccessible, but where humanitarian assistance is nevertheless being provided. The government pays for the fuel, helping to reduce the costs of the operation substantially. "This is an immediate risk but I am confident that the government will resolve it soon," said Fernandez. Earlier this year WFP operations also fell foul of Angolan bureaucracy when tonnes of food were stuck for months in Luanda's port, waiting for the government to pay customs and port taxes, but the dispute was eventually resolved. Apart from distributing food, the humanitarian community relies on WFP flights, with an average of 2,000 aid workers transported each month to areas that cannot be reached by road or commercial air service. The service is already facing a funding shortage, which will force it to reduce the frequency of some of its flights. Fernandez estimated that WFP needs around US $250,000 if it is to continue providing services until the end of the year. While improved road access to some areas and more commercial flights mean that WFP will be able to prune its schedule next year, it still needs $1.5 million to provide the service during the first half of 2005. "We are in the process of focusing on which areas need more support because we need to cut our activities. Our resources are declining as we move out of the emergency phase of our operations and donors are no longer willing to support us as they did in the past years," Fernandez explained. "Some areas will be affected in terms of reduced frequency, but we won't abandon any area," he added.