TOULOUSE: May 02, 2017. German NGO humedica e.V and UK non-profit Aviation without Borders have used an Ethiopian Airlines A350 XWB delivery flight to carry nine tonnes of humanitarian aid to Addis Ababa.

The shipment consisted of diarrhea disease kits, emergency food rations, inter-agency emergency health kits and clothing.

The Ethiopian Airlines Foundation, Ethiopia's Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and the National Disaster Risk Management Commission took delivery of the aid for distribution to refugee camps and health stations.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said while Ethiopia continues to battle the residual effects of an El Niño-induced drought in 2015/2016, below average Autumn rains in the southern and southeastern parts of the country last year have led to a new drought.

As a result, 5.6 million people require emergency food assistance; 2.7 million children and mothers require supplementary feeding; 9.2 million people need access to safe drinking water; 1.9 million households require livestock support; and 300,000 children between six months and five years old are suffering from "severe acute malnutrition," according to the agency.

"The acceptance of our latest A350 XWB is made more meaningful as we transport much needed relief goods to the drought affected areas in the [East Africa] region," said airline CEO Tewolde GebreMariam. "Ethiopian Airlines will continue with its leadership role in fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities, focusing as much on sustainability and social responsibility as on pure business performance," he added.

"Whenever possible we try to use delivery flights of new aircraft to our customers to ship medical or humanitarian donations to countries or regions in need," noted Fabrice Brégier, president Airbus Commercial Aircraft and member of the Airbus Foundation's Board of Directors.

Since 2008, the Airbus Foundation Humanitarian Flight Programme has facilitated the delivery of 650 tons of aid to six regions on 48 flights to help NGOs reduce the cost of delivering medical and school supplies, food, water sanitation equipment, toys, clothing and emergency response units.