Operation GLOBE brings relief to Central America and the Caribbean
August 24, 2020 - Defence Stories
In July 2020, under Operation (Op) GLOBE, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) provided support to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), on behalf of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Between July 23 and 31, 2020, the CAF conducted strategic airlift operations out of the WFP hub in Panama, delivering more than 82,500 kg of vital COVID-19 related supplies to Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Guatemala, and Barbados.
Air Detachment-Panama – composed of one CC-177 Globemaster, crew, and logistics support personnel – operated out of Panamá Pacífico International Airport, and flew approximately 40 hours to complete these important deliveries across the region.
Despite the limitations of operating in a COVID-19 environment, the CAF remains agile and able to conduct successful missions around the world, all while adhering to both domestic and host nation COVID-19 safety requirements. Working alongside their partners in Latin America and the Caribbean, the CAF successfully contributed to a unified humanitarian effort, while minimizing the risk to the safety of their personnel and the local populations in the region.
Watch this video for a glimpse into the mission to Panama and Op GLOBE.