At a time when humanitarian needs are rising and funding is falling rapidly, Tom Fletcher, the United Nations relief chief and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated US$48 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS). This funding will enable UNHAS to continue operating in eight crisis-stricken countries.
The allocation comes amid a global humanitarian funding crisis that is also putting aid flights in jeopardy. Operated by the World Food Programme (WFP), UNHAS remains a critical lifeline, enabling aid workers and essential supplies to reach people in urgent need. However, with humanitarian funding shrinking, UNHAS has faced the risk of suspending its operations.
The new funding, announced Thursday, will sustain UNHAS operations in Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, and Syria. This support will enable thousands of humanitarian workers from the UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and civil society to continue providing life-saving assistance.
The impact is tangible. In DRC alone, UNHAS continues to be the most reliable mode of transportation for humanitarian workers. In February 2026, for example, UNHAS transported over 1,350 passengers and 13.5 metric tons of freight for 103 aid organizations across 24 locations nationwide.
UNHAS functions as a United Nations air service that provides passenger and cargo transportation to and from crisis zones for the broader humanitarian community. It provides aid workers with access to these areas and ensures the delivery of light cargo, enabling effective life-saving operations.
Headquartered in Rome, Italy, UNHAS was established in 2001 for humanitarian purposes. Although any UN body may use its services, UNHAS is primarily dedicated to supporting humanitarian operations. According to the WFP, UNHAS is the only humanitarian air service that provides equal access to all humanitarian actors.
In 2024, UNHAS transported over 355,000 passengers and 4,925 metric tons of cargo, including medical supplies and equipment, to nearly 400 remote destinations. UNHAS flights operated in 21 countries on three continents and served at least 615 organizations.
As global humanitarian funding continues to shrink, however, services like UNHAS remain under threat. The consequences could be immediate, cutting off access to vulnerable populations and hampering emergency response efforts when they are needed most.