On Friday 15 May, twenty tonnes of emergency humanitarian supplies and medical personnel were landed in São Tomé and Príncipe as a result of the humanitarian airlift recently set up by the EU as part of its global response to the Covid-19 pandemic. São Tomé and Príncipe is the second African country to benefit, following the Central African Republic (see EUROPE 12483/9).
The flight was organised in cooperation with the Portuguese government and several humanitarian partner organisations, and contained mainly medicines, protective equipment, screening tests and laboratory material.
So that it is not empty on the return journey, the flight will bring more than 200 EU citizens and passengers from non-Member States back to Lisbon.
“The coronavirus pandemic poses huge logistical challenges to the humanitarian community. Delivery of life-saving aid is becoming more complex, while needs remain high in many critical areas”, said Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management.
The humanitarian air bridge is helping to overcome these difficulties. There will be further deliveries in the next few days, the European Commission said on Friday. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)