ODA eligibility database

The United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) was established in September 2014 and closed on July 2015. The UN emergency health mission was the first of its kind and was set up in response to the unprecedented outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The temporary Mission responded to the immediate needs on the ground related to the fight against Ebola.

This project aimed to provide humanitarian and emergency assistance to affected areas in the Republic of Guinea. At the request of the UN (via UNMEER), Portugal made available a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft to transport two ambulances equipped to combat the spread of Ebola. Their use was exclusively to deliver humanitarian aid. The types of additional costs reported, include: donated civil protection assistance and medical equipment (specialised medical equipment, medications, fully equipped ambulances); personnel daily allowances; fuel (for the C-130 Hercules) for the transportation of the donated equipment to and between affected countries.

The activity contributed to an increased availability of medical capabilities to combat the outbreak of Ebola and the rapid spread of the disease.

This activity is deemed ODA-eligible. The additional costs incurred by the use of military personnel or existing equipment provided by the donor, when used to deliver humanitarian aid in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence are included in ODA (paragraph 97). This project employed military personnel and equipment to deliver humanitarian aid in the context of an international effort to combat the spread of the Ebola virus disease. Military assets were only deployed due to a critical humanitarian need that could not timely and effectively be met with available civilian assets. The logistic capabilities and state of readiness of the military prevailed in providing timely life-saving assistance. The military involvement was of civilian nature and under civilian coordination. The activity reported was an emergency humanitarian response to the outbreak of Ebola, in the scope of UNMEER and led by the World Health Organisation (WHO). UNMEER coordinated the deployment. Both the UN and WHO operational principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence were respected.