Main area: Peace and security
Theme: Activities involving provider country military
Assessment: ODA-eligible
Provider country: Portugal
Recipient country: Guinea
Implementing agency: Portuguese Ministry of Defence
Budget (EUR x 1000): 14
Year(s): 2014
Purpose code: 72010 Material relief assistance and services
Case number: Peace and Security / 5
Combating outbreak of Ebola
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 (see DCD/DAC(2024)40/FINAL, paragraph 121).
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.
This document was approved by the Development Assistance Committee under a written procedure on 20 October 2017 and prepared for publication by the OECD Secretariat.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
© OECD 2017
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. By using this work, you accept to be bound by the terms of this licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Attribution – you must cite the work.
Translations – you must cite the original work, identify changes to the original and add the following text: In the event of any discrepancy between the original work and the translation, only the text of original work should be considered valid.
Adaptations – you must cite the original work and add the following text: This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed in this adaptation should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its Member countries.
Third-party material – the licence does not apply to third-party material in the work. If using such material, you are responsible for obtaining permission from the third party and for any claims of infringement.
You must not use the OECD logo, visual identity or cover image without express permission or suggest the OECD endorses your use of the work.
Any dispute arising under this licence shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012. The seat of arbitration shall be Paris (France). The number of arbitrators shall be one.
