§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have funded, or intend to fund, either bilaterally or through Operation Lifeline Sudan, the improvement of facilities at al-Obeid, Khartoum or Malakal airports to ensure the more efficient and effective use of those airports by Operation Lifeline Sudan. [HL755]
§ Baroness AmosWe do not intend to fund improvements to these airports. The cost of delivering food by air in Sudan last year was approximately 15 times the World Food Programme's average world wide food delivery cost. We are therefore pressing the WFP to maximise use of overland routes, including rail, for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Sudan. This will have the dual benefit of realising large savings in transportation costs and greatly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the relief effort.
§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Operation Lifeline Sudan is using, or intends to use, Malakal airport as part of its efforts to assist in the more direct delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance; and, if not, why this airport is not being used. [HL756]
§ Baroness AmosI refer to my earlier reply to the noble Lord. Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) does not use Malakal airport for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. There are no plans to do so.