Invisible EU assistance to Pakistan

(BRUSSELS2) The EU has been widely criticized for its lack of action on Pakistan in the face of the floods this summer (1)(2). Reproach undoubtedly justified on certain points. But the EU has not stood idly by during this time. Cathy Ashton was in New York yesterday to explain that the EU and its 27 member states had provided 60% of the humanitarian aid (240 million euros, or $315 million). But what is less well known is that the EU military lent discreet (too discreet!) assistance in supporting relief operations.

Formally seized on August 18, the General Staff movement planning unit (EUMPC) thus relayed the call for means of transport to the ministries of defense and air forces of the EU. Finland and the Czech Republic finally volunteered. Three flights stamped "EU" were thus chartered between the end of August and the beginning of September.

• The first, an Antonov 124, offered by the Czechs, under SALIS contract (NATO), embarked Italian equipment in Brindisi, then Austrian and German equipment in Leipzig/Halle and arrived with 100 tonnes in Islamabad on September 3. This allowed cost sharing. The equipment remaining in Leipzig was transported by the German army to the NATO base in Geilenkirchen and then sent on a NATO flight to Pakistan.

• The second, an Antonov 124, also contracted by the Czech Republic, departing from East Midlands Airport (United Kingdom) landed in Karachi on September 5, with 75 tonnes of equipment provided by the British.

• The third, a C-17 Globemaster contracted by Finland, embarked 40 tonnes of aid at the Danish military base in Karup, delivered to Karachi on September 6.

The EUMPC - like EU Movement planning cell - is a small structure of 3 officers (Lieutenant-Colonel level) and a duty officer within the "Logistics" directorate of the General Staff. Formalized following the Asian Tsunami in 2004, it focuses on the provision of military transport support to the crisis response effort of the MIC (civil protection crisis unit of the European Commission). It was used in particular during the floods in Algeria in 2006, where a certain number of Hercules C130 rotations were put in place. It could, in my opinion, find new life by making the link between the MIC and EATC - the air force command center set up by 4 Member States in Eindhoven (3).

It should be noted that other aid has been sent by the forces of the Member States on a bilateral basis, including in particular (non-exhaustive list):

• Un C17 of the RAF, based in Brize Norton (Oxfordshire), thus embarked 500 tents, food and essential medical equipment in the warehouse of the DFID (the British department of cooperation) in Dubai, on August 26, for bring it to Islamabad, where they were then taken to the Peshawar Valley.
• Un Illyushin 76 chartered by Denmark to transport a field hospital on September 3 (at the same time as the C-17 chartered by the Finns).
• A first plane chartered by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs took off from Vatry on August 20 with 70 tonnes of humanitarian material (notably from NGOs). It will be followed by three rotations of C-135s from the French army, which transported 27 tons of humanitarian material to Islamabad, on September 8 (departure from Istres), September 9 (departure from Vatry) and September 11).

It should be noted that the US Air Force dispatched, on August 1, a C-17 to Pakistan (from the 385th Air Expeditionary Group stationed in Bagram Iraq) followed by several other flights, in particular 25 Chinook helicopters on the ground at the mid-August as well as two more C-17 flights on August 23, coming from the McChord-Lewis base, Washington. While the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations had sent a plane with 17 tons of equipment on August 35... (no comment!)

Lire:
(1) When Nicolas goes up the suspenders to José-Manuel
(2) José-Manuel, in turn, takes up the pen and presents his “plan for Pakistan”
(2) Air Command EATC inaugurated in Eindhoven

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)