Yemen Humanitarian Crisis: Urgent Appeal for Funds to Avert Catastrophe
The humanitarian crisis in war-torn Yemen has reached a critical juncture, with nearly 200 aid groups issuing an urgent appeal for funds to address a $2.3 billion shortfall in assistance. The Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country is facing potentially catastrophic consequences if immediate action is not taken to provide much-needed support.
Nine years of conflict have taken a devastating toll on Yemen, leaving 18.2 million people – more than half the population – in desperate need of humanitarian aid. The situation has been further exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the country to the brink of collapse.
In a joint statement, 188 humanitarian organizations, including several UN agencies, highlighted the urgent need for funding to address the growing humanitarian needs in Yemen. The statement emphasized the critical importance of providing sustainable support to enhance resilience and reduce aid dependency among the Yemeni population.
The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels overran the capital, Sanaa, triggering a military intervention by a Saudi-led coalition in support of the government. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, either directly as a result of the fighting or due to indirect causes such as food insecurity and lack of access to healthcare.
While hostilities have decreased following a UN-brokered ceasefire in April 2022, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Only a fraction of the $2.7 billion required under Yemen’s 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan has been raised, leaving millions of vulnerable Yemenis at risk of food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and other threats.
The aid groups warned that underfunding poses a significant challenge to the continuity of humanitarian programs in Yemen, leading to delays, reductions, and suspensions of lifesaving assistance. This, in turn, directly impacts the lives of millions of people who rely on humanitarian aid for their survival.
As high-ranking EU officials prepare to meet in Brussels to discuss the aid program for Yemen, the humanitarian community is calling on donors to urgently address the funding gap and provide the necessary support to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. Failure to act now could have devastating consequences for the lives of Yemeni women, children, and men who are already struggling to survive in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The time to act is now. The international community must come together to support the people of Yemen and prevent further suffering and loss of life. By providing the necessary funding and resources, we can help alleviate the immense human suffering in Yemen and work towards a more stable and secure future for all Yemenis.