Qatar partners with Airlink; delivers relief supplies to impacted regions

Qatar Airways has signed a partnership agreement with Airlink to transport 200 tonnes of humanitarian aid without a fee over the next two years.

The agreement will benefit Airlink’s nonprofit partners providing assistance to communities impacted by disasters and other humanitarian crises around the world.

Under the new agreement, Airlink, its non-profit partner AFYA Foundation, and Qatar Airways conducted its first project, transporting over 64,000 pounds of soap to Botswana during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The shipment of soap was donated to a local organisation based in Gaborone, Botswana, in order to provide basic, but vital assistance. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, 3 billion people around the world do not have access to hand washing facilities with water and soap at home.

“The 200 tons of freight space is a generous donation that will help fragile communities now, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and in future disasters. It greatly extends our reach and that of our nonprofit partners for years to come.” Said Steven J. Smith, president and CEO, Airlink.

“As the largest airfreight carrier in the world, we are proud to do our part as a global corporate citizen to support the important and essential work of nonprofit organizations like Airlink,” said Guillaume Halleux, chief officer of cargo at Qatar Airways, “The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how essential air freight is to responding to crises and we are pleased to support the work of governments and NGOs around the globe, transporting essential supplies to places where they are needed. We look forward to working with Airlink and expand this work, providing a helping hand and relief to communities around the world.”

Both Airlink and Qatar Airways have successfully worked together in the past. In April 2019, as communities in Mozambique and neighboring countries sought to recover from the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai, 19,000 pounds of aid was dispatched to fragile communities, thanks to the generosity of Qatar Airways working in conjunction with Airlink’s partner nonprofits Save the Children and MedShare. The aid delivered included hygiene kits for women and girls and medical supplies.