The HOPE Consortium has entered a partnership with Kenya-based cargo airline, Astral Aviation. The partnership is aimed to provide vaccine distribution solutions to African continent.

The partnership reiterates efforts by the HOPE Consortium to reinforce partnerships that focus on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, along with staying true to the organisation’s mission as a global logistics facilitator, by supporting vaccine delivery. According to the agreement, both organisations will focus on cooperation in Africa to enhance vaccine distribution within the continent. The HOPE Consortium will use Astral Aviation’s widespread network, technologies, and market expertise, to support its global objective of enabling vaccine availability with focus on the African continent. The partnership will ensure delivery of vaccines and important supplies to all 54 African nations on time.

Astral Aviation organizes a fleet of 14 freighter aircraft while offering innovative, flexible, and cost-effective UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) integrated drone-based solutions, along with warehousing solutions.

This collaboration will see Astral Aviation enable vaccine deliveries on its scheduled and charter freighter network, along with drone solutions to Africa.

Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of Astral Aviation, said, "We are truly honoured to partner with the HOPE Consortium and participate in the critical distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, based on our track record in performing humanitarian initiatives and vaccine flights within Africa. Astral will add further technological and warehousing solutions for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines from the hub in Abu Dhabi, to all the 54 countries in Africa directly or via its Nairobi Hub, which occupies 9000 m2 of cold-storage facilities."

UNICEF has selected Astral to operate vaccine flights for COVAX and the African Union through African Medical Supplies Platform.

HOPE Consortium through this alliance further progresses its end-to-end supply chains for vaccine distribution from their Abu Dhabi base to all African countries. It has also geared its operations to supply COVID-19 vaccines to any country in need, till date handling over 100 million vaccine doses across 40 countries. 

Robert Sutton, Head of Logistics Cluster at Abu Dhabi Ports, said, "Africa has always been a high priority market for the HOPE Consortium, and to that end, we are pleased to join hands with Astral Aviation. Our partnership with Astral Aviation is another benchmark towards our commitment to serving every country, region, and locale. We are confident that this partnership will help enhance HOPE Consortium’s efforts in Africa and ensure that no one is left behind in the quest against the pandemic."

WAM