...bringing together EATC, Luxembourg, Italy, NATO, NSPA*, USA, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro.
When NSPA was looking for a sponsor to transport urgently needed medical equipment to the Balkan region, a showcase cooperation process started: Luxembourg agreed to sponsor the mission. EATC looked for the best solution to swiftly transport the equipment to its destination, and Italy agreed to fly the mission.
Within only a couple of days, the mission was planned and on 30 October 2020, an Italian C27J transport aircraft took off from Brindisi (Italy) to Skopje (North Macedonia) to deliver six pallets of medical equipment. Sixty ventilor kits were dedicated to North Macedonia. Several ministers, among others the Minister of Health, and senior NATO representatives personally received the donation at Skopje Airport. The other equipment was transported separately from Skopje to its final destination in Montenegro and Albania, respectively.
This mission once more showcases success through a comprehensive multinational approach and the willingness to join efforts.
NATO Allies may request international assistance to the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center (EADRCC) if they urgently need to address severe effects of the pandemic. EADRCC is NATO’s principal civil emergency response mechanism in the Euro-Atlantic area. NSPA manages the purchase, storage and logistics of relief items for the stockpile of medical equipment and supplies. The delivered ventilators and accessories were part of a donation by the United States to the NATO stockpile.
* NSPA : NATO Support and Procurement Agency
Photo courtesy of Ministry of Defence - North Macedonia and Italian Air Force