Using transportation problem in humanitarian supply chain to prepositioned facility locations : a case study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Over the last two decades, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been plague by conflicts that has caused the lives of millions of Congolese in the eastern parts of the country while displacing many more. These multifaceted man-made conflicts have contributed to the crumbling of the regional infrastructures and transportation system, to insecurity, poverty and many more. Despite the region huge human, minerals, forestry and energy potential for development, the DRC authorities and international organizations operating in the region have largely failed to ensure farmers, miners, scholars of the Eastern Congo safety during their day to day routine. It is for such reason, humanitarian reliefs are needed to supplement any shortfalls in term of foods, medicines, shelters and others. This research aimed at optimizing prepositioned relief supply to the region. This study intends first to identify potential prepositioned relief locations in the three most conflicts heated provinces in the Eastern Congo (Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu). Then, the study uses transportation problem in minimizing the total costs and the total time of distributing goods from supply points (sources) to a number of demand points (destinations). The model outcome reveals that by incorporating all transportation modes into the operation, humanitarian organizations are more flexible against infrastructures, health or security challenges that often ravage Eastern Congo.