In a rare effort to quantify the impact of restrictions to humanitarian access, the South Sudan NGO forum, a coordinating body of more than 300 international and local NGOs, recently distributed a statement to journalists estimating that in the first six months of 2015, $3.5m of humanitarian assets were lost and 1,560 working days wasted due to conflict and suspension of activities.
After Al Shabaab took over control of Jowhar town – located 90 kilometers north of Mogadishu - on 17th May 2009, reports were received of militiamen raiding UNICEF's compound and undertaking large scale looting and destruction of humanitarian supplies, assets and equipments.
Since the beginning of the year, the UN has recorded 261 incidents of violence against humanitarian staff or assets.
"What started out as humanitarian relief using existing assets in the Middle East was rapidly transformed into boots on the ground in a training role, and aircraft both flying combat missions and refuelling other coalition aircraft for combat missions in Syria.
"The Prime Minister welcomed South African support of the release of 500 million US dollars of frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian needs and the leaders agreed that the African Union needs to take swift decisions at their summit in Addis Ababa today on the unfreezing of further assets.
"It is imperative that civilians are allowed to move freely to places of refuge, and that humanitarian staff and their assets are protected to allow immediate, safe and unhindered access to those in need," a UN spokeswoman, Alessandra Vellucci, told a news briefing in Geneva.
The so-called pivot of national strategy to the western Pacific, the need to project power into the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf, and the availability of assets for humanitarian assistance and other non-war missions stretch the Navy nearly to the breaking point.
"Other ships have been directed to get under way with embarked marines and medical assets to provide humanitarian and medical support".
In an armed conflict or high-risk environment, using military assets to support humanitarian action becomes more complicated, particularly if military actors are part of the conflict.
Typically operated from small aircraft carriers, large amphibious assault ships and simple forward operating bases, AV-8Bs have participated in numerous military and humanitarian operations, proving themselves versatile assets.
