(JUBA) – The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which provides vital flights for aid workers and cargo to remote and conflict affected regions, has been forced to cut its global fleet by nearly a quarter due to severe funding shortfalls, the World Food Programme (WFP) has reported.
The reductions have already affected operations in South Sudan, where humanitarian needs are rising amid a surge of nearly one million people fleeing conflict in neighbouring Sudan.
Since January, UNHAS has reduced its fleet by 22 percent, equivalent to 17 fewer aircraft, according to a WFP official. The service, which supports over 600 aid organisations including Doctors Without Borders, is critical for transporting staff and essential supplies to hard-to-reach areas.
Claire Waterhouse, head of operational support for MSF Southern Africa, warned that without UNHAS, the charity would have to charter planes at high cost, diverting funds from patient care and potentially halting operations in some regions.
The funding crisis stems largely from cuts in foreign aid, including a 45 percent reduction from the United States last year, following policy changes under the Trump administration. Other major donor countries have also scaled back contributions. As a result, weekly flight schedules have been revised, with five destinations removed and frequency reduced to ten others.
In South Sudan, where humanitarian access is already limited, these cuts have restricted the movement of aid workers and supplies, hampering efforts to respond to urgent needs among displaced populations. UNHAS support remains crucial for rapid responses to sudden security risks, floods, and spikes in food insecurity across the country.
Globally, UNHAS faces a $53 million (243.8 billion SSP) funding gap through December, despite aggressive cost-saving measures. In Afghanistan, the number of available seats for aid workers fell from 157 to 57 this year, highlighting the impact of reduced air capacity on crisis response.
The cuts follow deep reductions in the US Agency for International Development programmes, which previously supported 42 percent of global aid. UN officials have described the situation as a humanitarian “triage,” prioritising assistance for 114 million people worldwide facing life threatening conditions.
Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher described the consequences as heartbreaking, acknowledging that many vulnerable people will not receive the support they need, while emphasising efforts to save as many lives as possible with limited resources.
