WFP, the World Food Programme, is set to suspend the UN Humanitarian Air Service in South Sudan on February 1 due to lack of funds to support the service.
WFP Country Director Cris Nikoi said the suspension of flights could have a strong impact in the humanitarian landscape of South Sudan.He said WFP needed 40.3 million dollars to run its flights in 2013 and the two million that were promised so far are not enough to keep planes and helicopters flying in February.
Mr Nikoi claimed that 230 humanitarian organizations use the humanitarian flights every month to provide assistance to 3.3 million people in South Sudan.
Toby Lanzer, the Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, said in a message that UNMISS may assist UN and NGO agencies with staff stranded in remote areas if WFP suspends humanitarian flights.