NAIROBI, 14 Jul 2005 (IRIN) - The UN has said it plans to resume flights to two remote areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s Kasaļ Oriental Province in response to requests from the humanitarian organistions.

MONUC's information focal point for humanitarian affairs, Patrice Bogna, said on Tuesday that the humanitarian community urged the UN Mission in the Congo, known as MONUC, to consider the re-establishment of its flights from the provincial capital of Mbuji-Mayi to Lubao and Lodja, in the districts of Sankuru and Kabinda.

He said the districts were home to some five million people in need of humanitarian aid.

The UN recently increased staff deployment to these areas from such agencies as the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Office for Project Services and the UN World Food Programme.

However Bogna said, "Access difficulties and related challenges due to poor road conditions continue to hamper the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance."