UN raises roughly $1.2 billion in humanitarian relief for Yemen

At a Geneva pledge conference، the UN raised roughly $1.2 billion in humanitarian relief for Yemen. The amount of money raised on Monday for the country's ongoing civil war's millions of displaced and starving victims fell far short of the UN's target of $4.3 billion for the coming year. It is the seventh donor conference to be conducted in the past seven years to raise money for Yemen.

Two-thirds of Yemen's population، or more than 21.7 million people، need humanitarian aid this year. The 17.3 million people who are the most in need of help will receive the aid that the UN hoped to raise.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the truce “delivered real dividends for people” following years of death، displacement، destruction، starvation and suffering.

Funding and commitment

However، humanitarian needs continue to soar as more than 21 million Yemenis، two-thirds of the population، still require assistance and protection.

“The international community has the power and the means to end this crisis. And it begins by funding our appeal fully and committing to disbursing funds quickly،” he said.

For nearly eight years، Yemen’s population has borne the brunt of fighting between Government forces، backed by Saudi Arabia، and Houthi rebels. Severe drought and flooding are also threatening people’s lives، safety، and well-being.

Furthermore، even though communities are overstretched، Yemen is hosting some 100،000 refugees and asylum seekers from other war-torn countries، mainly Somalia and Ethiopia.

‘Fragile’ gains at risk

Last year، humanitarians secured $2.2 billion in funding، allowing them to deliver food، water، shelter، education and other life-saving assistance to nearly 11 million people each month.

Mr. Guterres said their operations، together with the truce and other factors، meant that two million fewer Yemenis suffered acute hunger، while the number of people in famine-like conditions fell from over 150،000 to virtually zero.

“But these gains remain fragile،” he warned.  “If support dries up now، aid agencies will be forced to scale back or suspend programming، at terrible human cost.”