Her Majesty’s Government today announced that the UK is providing airlift support to the UN Mission in South Sudan in order to transport much-needed equipment. An RAF C-17 has departed from RAF Brize Norton carrying blast wall protection. The C-17 flight follows the departure of 3 charter aircraft carrying similar equipment.
The security equipment has been requested by the UN to improve the physical protection of their compounds, which are currently providing refuge to over 76,500 internally-displaced persons across the country as a result of ongoing violence.
The airlift support is being funded by a joint Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development (DFID) conflict pool fund, and delivered in partnership with Norway and Sweden.
Announcing the airlift, Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds said:
I commend the huge efforts taken by the UN Mission in South Sudan to protect civilians affected by the conflict. I am pleased that, together with our Norwegian and Swedish partners, we have been able to provide support that will assist in the protection of those inside the UN bases who sought shelter from the violence.
It is essential that both government and opposition forces put down their weapons to avoid further civilian deaths.
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