Operation NILE

International Operation Name: not applicable

International Operation Dates:  not applicable

Mandating Organization: Government of Canada

Region Name:  Africa

Location:  Ethiopia

Canadian Operation Name: Operation NILE

Canadian Operation Dates: 1988/06/01 – 1988/09/13

Mission Mandate:

To airlift food and other relief supplies to distribution centres within Ethiopia

Mission Notes:

Acting upon a request from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in response to a severe famine in Ethiopia, the Canadian Government provided two C-130 Hercules aircraft and crews with requisite ground support staff and an Air Logistics Control Element, to provide assistance to United Nations Disaster Relief operations in Ethiopia. Based in Addis Ababa, their task was to provide air transportation of emergency relief supplies between the ports of Massawa (now in Eritrea) and Djibouti, and interior airports at Asmara, Mekele and Dire Dawa. Canadian Forces personnel deployed to Ethiopia at the beginning of June 1988 and airlifts began 08 June and continued until 08 September. Assistance was also provided to the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Supplies delivered included food, blankets, tents, water containers, soap, etc. Although it had originally been expected that the operation would include airdrops of grain in July and August this method of delivering aid was not utilized in part because of the increased costs involved. Overall, 8,025 metric tonnes of food and supplies were airlifted, requiring 1434 flying hours.