COPENHAGEN 14 October 2022 – As celebrations begin of UNICEF commemorating 60 years of delivering emergency supplies to the world's most vulnerable children, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Hollywood actor Liam Neeson have visited the Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen.
The Copenhagen Hub which is the world’s largest humanitarian warehouse, has been shipping supplies – such as medical instruments, medicines, hygiene supplies, education materials, and sanitation equipment – at record pace in recent years in response to humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Pakistan, South Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Children’s humanitarian needs have never been greater – and so the work of UNICEF’s Global Supply and Logistics hub in Copenhagen has never been more important,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
“The best way to mark this important milestone is by redoubling our efforts to reach every child at risk with the essential supplies that can help them survive crises and rebuild their lives. UNICEF is deeply grateful to the Government and the people of Denmark for supporting us in this vital work, and we look forward to the next 60 years of delivering life-saving supplies wherever and whenever they are needed.”
This year, 480,000 metric tons of emergency supplies have shipped from the warehouse so far, including 1400 trucks sent in response to the war in Ukraine, transporting 10,484 metric tons of supplies. The shipments include more than 800,000 emergency kits including midwifery, emergency medical, and family hygiene kits.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Supply and Logistics Hub led procurement, transport, and logistics for COVAX – a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. Since the first shipment in February 2021, the Hub has facilitated the delivery of 1.7 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 146 countries, as well as millions of syringes, cold storage equipment, and personal protective equipment for health workers.
As part of the commemorations, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Hollywood actor Liam Neeson visited the warehouse, helping to pack supplies for children in Afghanistan.
“When an emergency hits – and children are forced from their homes, schools and communities – the supplies sent from UNICEF’s warehouse in Copenhagen can be the difference between life and death,” said Neeson.
“From oxygen equipment, tablets to purify water, mosquito nets, volleyballs, to entire schools, UNICEF is getting supplies to children around the clock to make sure they survive and thrive. That’s 24/7, seven days a week, non-stop.”
Crown Princess Mary also toured the site - initially built to pack health kits for maternity clinics and child health services. It has since evolved into a logistic hub and become the largest humanitarian warehouse in the world.
Established in 1962, the office and warehouse space was gifted by the government of Denmark to UNICEF to house its global supply and logistics operations. Since then, tens of thousands of cargo planes, ships, trucks and trains have left Copenhagen with countless tons of life-saving supplies for children living in conflict zones, natural disasters and other emergency settings around the world.
In total, UNICEF's supply and logistics function procured US $7.181 billion worth of goods and services for children and their families in 160 countries and areas last year.
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