Yemen is devastated by a seven-year conflict between Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, and government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia.
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The UN said “constraint” Wednesday, December 22 to reduce food aid to Yemen for lack of necessary funds. The organization warns of an increase in hunger in a country ravaged by a seven-year conflict between Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, and government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, the cause of one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The World Food Program (WFP) “lack of funds to continue providing food aid to 13 million people in Yemen”, explains the organization in a press release.
“From January, eight million people will receive a reduced food ration, while five million people at risk of immediate famine will continue to receive a full ration.”, clarified the WFP. Some 80% of Yemen’s 30 million people depend on international aid. WFP said it needed $ 813 million (around € 721 million) “to continue helping the most vulnerable in Yemen until May”. And in 2022, 1.97 billion dollars (1.74 billion euros) will be needed “to continue providing vital food aid to families on the brink of famine”.
With these cuts, “families will receive barely half of the minimum daily ration”, warned the WFP, fearing “more severe cuts, soon inevitable” lack of funding. “People could then be completely excluded from food aid programs”, he lamented. The UN agency estimated that “more than half the population of Yemen”, or 16.2 million people, face acute famine and half of children under five (2.3 million) are at risk of malnutrition.