Royal Air Maroc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airlink wherein it commits to supporting communities mostly located in West and Central Africa, in times of crisis. It is the first such partnership agreement between the two organizations. As per the agreement, Royal Air Maroc will assist Airlink and its associated NGOs in supporting communities in crisis over the course of next year, by transporting 50 tons of humanitarian cargo and providing other logistical support. This includes providing passenger tickets for humanitarian personnel, as well as a charitable cash donation to support Airlink operations.
With its 28 destinations in Africa (and another 90, worldwide), Royal Air Maroc is an important addition to Airlink’s partner network, since it will help access some of the world’s most challenging environments. Among them: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (including refugees from Sudan), the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Niger. The partnership will also support humanitarian needs and strengthen health systems in Sierra Leone and the Middle East. These regions, often underserved and overlooked as long-term humanitarian crises, will be prioritized in the partnership. Throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel region, in particular, often suffers the fall out of severe humanitarian crises. Climate shocks, violence, food insecurity, and forced displacement exacerbate the situation, leaving 33 million people in need of urgent and increasing humanitarian assistance and protection.
Abdelhamid ADDOU, Chairman Of the Board and CEO of Royal Air Maroc, commented: “Under the strategic vision and impulsion of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco is relentlessly working to develop South-South Cooperation and is acting, in particular, for the development of Africa and the well-being of African communities. Therefore, this partnership with Airlink fits perfectly within our vision and mission in a common objective of continental solidarity.”
Steven J. Smith, Airlink President and CEO, said: “A key priority for Airlink is expanding our regional focus across Africa’s diverse regions, actively incorporating our humanitarian partners’ locally informed perspectives to develop flexible and tailored operational strategies. Royal Air Maroc’s support will increase Airlink’s capacity to transport humanitarian aid and assistance to countries where partners face significant barriers to response, such as Cameroon and the Central African Republic in the Sahel. We are eager to embark on this partnership journey and are thrilled to have their support.”
