WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by project type | Page 804

Standard Project Report 2016
assessment for Torkham and two customer satisfaction and feedback surveys) in order to identify users' needs and
demands and to garner feedback for further improvements of the weekly flight schedules.
UNHAS also provided medical and security evacuations to the humanitarian community in Afghanistan, and a timely
response is of essence in such critical situations. The roads in Afghanistan are largely insecure and those in need of
help are often in the most inaccessible parts of the country. UNHAS is often the only option for delivering much
needed humanitarian assistance, moving aid workers and relocating people in times of crisis.
For instance, a total of 34 aid workers were trapped due to fighting between anti-government elements and national
security forces in Lashkar Gah early this year and in Kunduz and Farah provinces in October and December.
Despite these challenging situations, UNHAS planes managed to relocate humanitarian workers safely.
Such emergency situations highlighted the significance of UNHAS in supporting humanitarian operations in
Afghanistan. In 2016, UNHAS served the humanitarian community in the country by supporting the transport of
urgently required cargo and medical supplies: 11 medical evacuations aside from above-mentioned 34 evacuations
due to insecurity on the ground.
In response to the influx of returnees, UNHAS began providing rotations by helicopter between Kabul – Jalalabad –
Torkham and back twice a week following the cancellation of road convoys due to insecurity. These flights allowed
the continuation of proper monitoring of the emergency response to the returnees from Pakistan. For each flight, the
helicopter would drop the passengers in Torkham and re-position in Jalalabad, remaining on call in case of an
emergency on site until the pick-up of passengers later the same day.
Nevertheless, due to an incident involving an attack on a convoy, and the confirmation of air threats from different
anti-government elements on the Jalalabad-Torkham route, the risk was assessed as not acceptable and the flights
were discontinued.
Aside from the above, the UNHAS helicopter continued to provide essential flight services, crucial to the
humanitarian organizations and agencies working in areas where air transport remained the only means of travel
and ensured:
•
•
•
•
Rapid deployment of humanitarian aid workers to their areas of operation;
Access for rapid assessment teams to move into locations throughout the country;
Safety of staff deployed in the area of operation through the facilitation and provision of medical or security
based evacuations; and
Movement of life-saving relief items such as medical supplies and high-energy foods.
During the reporting period, UNHAS applied a standardised single contracting process for its safety surveillance
system in order to assure flight safety.
Overall, UNHAS contributed to the efficient and effective implementation and monitoring of
humanitarian/development programmes through offering safe transportation and security evaluation measures in
case of emergency.
Operational Partnerships
Donor contributions as well as partial cost-recovery through nominal booking fees allowed UNHAS to remain
operational in 2016. The Government of Afghanistan also assisted the operation by providing parking space and air
navigation support.
A Board of Directors – a high-level body which endorses the administrative issues of the User Group Committee (a
group with an administrative role composed of NGOs, United Nations agencies, and donor representatives) – was in
place to provide feedback on the quality of the service as well as endorse proposed strategies and support
fundraising for the operation. This Board, chaired by the Humanitarian Coordinator's Office through the United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), met on a quarterly basis.
Inter-agency collaboration ensured the effective utilisation of all air assets. UNHAS continued to work closely with
the UNHAS User Group, the Humanitarian Air Services Scheduling Team, the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), among other partners, to ensure
that the air service remained focused and demand-driven. The Board of Directors and UNOCHA also played a
fundamental role in soliciting funds, while at the same time serving as a coordinating forum with other agencies in
order to ensure smooth and effective operations and expedite procedures.
UNHAS worked closely with the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and airport authorities, and collaborated in
operational and safety meetings and projects in order to alleviate congestion at Kabul Airport, which has been under
rehabilitation. UNHAS also collaborated with the Resolute Support Force (RS), UNAMA, ICRC and PACTEC
Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of (AF)
15
Single Country Special Operation - 200870