A third Kuwaiti plane loaded with humanitarian aid headed Thursday to drought-stricken Somalia.
Media Officer of Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), which organizes the trips, Khalid Al-Zaid told KUNA that the plane took off from Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base early Thursday carrying food, medicine, baby-milk formulas and tents.
"The new move comes in implementation of the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to show Kuwaiti people's solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Somalia and to contribute to efforts aiming at alleviating their sufferings," he said.
He stressed that KRCS was one of the first organizations to move to help victims of drought in Somalia.
"The KRCS has launched an urgent airlift to offer humanitarian aid to Somalia and has purchased ship's load of 2,500 tons of rice and distributed them there," Al-Zaid noted.
"The KRCS is keen to participate in the efforts aiming to save millions of Somali people, who are facing one of the worst droughts due to lack of seasonal rains, depletion of water and rivers and the lack of developmental mechanisms." He added that the KRCS will enhance its presence in Somalia to oversee the distribution of aid and to meet different needs of those affected.
The KRCS praised the efforts of Acting Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to launch and monitor relief airlift to Somalia. (end) akw.ysa.ibi KUNA 281545 Jul 11NNNN
