EU activates new humanitarian air bridge to Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

The EU has launched a new humanitarian airlift operation to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to deliver essential supplies to the city of Goma. These supplies will be used to reinforce the humanitarian response in the eastern part of the country, where the already dire situation continues to deteriorate. To alleviate this situation, the EU is organizing two flights from Europe, transporting more than 180 tonnes of equipment in total, including medical and food supplies. The humanitarian air bridge consists of two flights between Europe and Nairobi, from where supplies are flown to Goma.

The first two flights arrived in Goma on August 22, 2023, and a total of eight such flights are expected to operate until the end of August 2023. Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management said: “The EU remains firmly committed to helping the most vulnerable in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In response to the United Nations call for an intensification of humanitarian operations throughout the country, through a mobilization of the whole system, we are launching a humanitarian air bridge to bring essential supplies to Goma, in the part eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"Coupled with the new humanitarian aid package announced earlier in the year – bringing our total humanitarian aid to €80 million for 2023 – our Humanitarian Air Bridge will help reach as many people as possible."

This humanitarian airlift follows a similar operation that took place between March and May 2023, during which a total of 260 tons of supplies were transported in seven flights. These were organized in collaboration with France and EU humanitarian partners.

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