After 20 coups in its short but troubled history the elections in the Comoros Islands now serve as a means for peace and reconciliation. To achieve this resolution it was vital that the democratic process ran smoothly.
On 28 March the African Union asked our office in Ethiopia to obtain quotations for 8 x 4 wheel drive vehicles, plus communications and computer equipment, to support its personnel on the AMISEC project (African Mission for Security of the Elections in the Comoros).
With funding primarily from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, with an additional contribution from the Norwegian government, all items were to be delivered by 14 April.
The urgency meant that we would use the expertise of our network of international offices to meet the deadline. With a twice-weekly airfreight service from Nairobi to Moroni, Crown Agents Nairobi office would handle the enquiry for communications and computer equipment. With its knowledge of the market, it was able to source the goods and achieve value for money.
Crown Agents in UK would draw on its network of suppliers to source vehicle options, including the possibility of leasing on a short-term basis. As all the vehicles had to be delivered quickly, a dedicated air charter was the most cost-effective and efficient means of transportation.
Our freight logistic team's quotes for a dedicated air charter completed a demonstration of our ability to provide a comprehensive service across the entire range of supply functions.
Quotations for all goods were obtained in record time, and achieved value for money, and details were passed to the AU in Addis Ababa, who gave approval to proceed.
Local orders placed in Nairobi enabled delivery of all goods to be made on 14 April. The vehicle order was placed for delivery through Sharjah for air charter onlift. It was a tight squeeze accommodating all eight vehicles but, with this accomplished, the aircraft flew to Moroni on 13 April.