According to the head of U.N. food agency, David Beasley, 16 million people in Yemen “are marching towards starvation”.
Key Points
- David also warned that, food rations for millions in Yemen will be cut in October 2021 unless new funding reaches there.
- During a meeting on Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, He said that the United States, Germany, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia donors stepped up when the World Food Program (WEP) was running out of money in first half of 2021. This funding helped in averting famine and catastrophe.
- WFP is running out of money again. He notes that, without any new funding, ration reductions will be done for 3.2 million people in October 2021 and for 5 million by December 2021.
Background
On March 1, 2021, at a virtual pledging conference that was co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had urged for $3.85 billion for Yemen in 2021. But countries pledged less than half the amount that is $1.7 billion.
Meeting on Yemen’s humanitarian crisis
This meeting was held on September 22, 2021 on the line of U.N. General Assembly’s annual leaders’ gathering. It raised about $600 million. Meeting was hosted by European Union and co-hosted by Sweden & Switzerland.
Yemen Crisis
Yemen has been undergoing a civil war since 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital of Yemen called Sanaa as most of the northern part of Yemen. They also forced the President of Yemen, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, to flee to Saudi Arabia. Later, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed by the United States. They tried to restore President Hadi to power. Despite several air campaign and ground fighting, war has deteriorated into a stalemate and caused a humanitarian crisis. The U.S. has suspended its direct involvement in this conflict.