Top humanitarian officials call for more support for Yemen
Top UN humanitarian officials are calling for increased support, especially from the Gulf region, for humanitarian relief efforts in Yemen.
Young girls collect water in Taiz, Yemen.
United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Valerie Amos, and the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Ms. Ertharin Cousin, speaking at the end of their joint visit, acknowledged the positive political developments in the country, led by its leaders and supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council, but noted that the humanitarian situation in Yemen remains critical.
Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said "Yemen is a country wracked by chronic poverty and underdevelopment, and millions of Yemenis are struggling to cope", adding "People need food, water, education and health care. But they also want to know that there is investment to secure their future". We urgently need more funding to help those in need."
More than 10 million people in Yemen – almost half the country's population – are either hungry or on the edge of hunger with very high rates of food insecurity. Child malnutrition rates are among the highest in the world with close to half of Yemen's children under 5 years – around two million children – stunted.
This year, WFP aims to provide almost 5 million people in 16 governorates with food assistance and is working to build community resilience.
Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Ertharin Cousin said "WFP is providing life-saving food assistance to almost 5 million Yemenis to break the intergenerational cycle of hunger", stressing that WFP "will continue this vital food assistance by improving food security and nutrition but at the same time helping build resilience of these communities".
Source:UN News
- 295 reads
