Humanitarian Air Bridge Launched from Jeddah to Support Operations in Sudan

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced today (Thursday) the launch of its humanitarian aircraft operations from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to strengthen humanitarian access to Sudan.

The step aims to enhance humanitarian response efforts and facilitate the movement of the organization’s staff amid growing humanitarian needs.

In a statement, the ICRC said that “the strategic location of Jeddah, which is approximately a one-hour flight from Port Sudan, will enable the organization to deploy its humanitarian personnel more quickly and flexibly both inside and outside Sudan, thereby strengthening its ability to respond to the urgent needs of populations affected by the war.”

The statement quoted the ICRC’s Regional Director for Africa, Patrick Youssef, as saying that operating the aircraft from Jeddah significantly enhances the organization’s ability to rapidly deploy teams and maintain a sustainable field presence close to affected communities.

He stressed that every day matters given the scale of worsening humanitarian needs in Sudan.