On 26 March 2022, Iraq received more than 1 ton of specialised electrical equipment and a maintenance toolkit from NATO’s Pandemic Response Stockpile, with air transportation provided by Italy. This delivery follows on an oxygen generation system and 100 oxygen cylinders donated last year; and it marks the completion of the Pandemic Response Trust Fund project in support to Iraq. This substantial supplementary equipment will allow to operationalise the oxygen generation system.
The NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre – which is NATO’s principal civil emergency response mechanism – NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency and the NATO Mission in Iraq coordinated this donation, in response to a request by Iraq for assistance with regard to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Following a request for support by the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence provided the transportation for the delivery of medical equipment and supplies to Iraq. The Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency and the NATO Mission in Iraq coordinated the purchase of the equipment. The Italian Delegation to NATO coordinated the transportation of both allotments of assistance.
The delivery of the equipment will be followed by on-site installation and training for its functioning. The equipment was handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq and will enhance the medical capacities of Iraq to deal with the pandemic. Several Allied donor countries, including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Slovakia, and Turkey financed the project. Italy financed and organised the transportation to Iraq.
NATO continues to provide relief assistance in response to the Coronavirus pandemic through the Pandemic Response Trust Fund. Since 2020, 13 nations have been beneficiaries of NATO COVID-19 assistance packages, through the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre.