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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday expressed disappointment that the donors’ conference on Yemen had raised less than half of the $ 4 billion needed to avert a catastrophic famine that could leave millions dead in the devastated country. from the war.
“Millions of children, women, people in need in Yemen need help to survive. “The cessation of aid is the death penalty,” said Mr Guterres. The pledges of $ 1.67 billion in donations to the online conference, hosted by the UN, Switzerland and Sweden, are $ 1.9 billion less than the amount needed to send vital aid this year. This amount is smaller than the donations the UN collected for last year’s aid plan. Deficient funds have led to the cutting of critical programs and the reduction of food rations, leaving many Yemenis at dangerous hunger levels.
“Hopefully today ‘s commitments are a first installment in response to the worst famine the world has seen in decades,” Mr Guterres said. The six-year war between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and confusing insurgents enjoying Iranian support has left the Middle East’s poorest country in a state of near-humanitarian catastrophe. The UN says 16 million Yemenis are hungry, of whom 5 million are on the brink of famine. About 50,000 people have already passed into this desperate state.
Food is not lacking, markets are full of items, but after years of war and economic collapse, people have no financial means to buy. Children are at acute risk. 400,000 of them face malnutrition and could die if there is no immediate help. “This war is engulfing a whole generation of Yemenis. It must stop, “said Mr Guterres.
contributions
Despite the desperate situation in Yemen, regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait gave much less this time than during the 2018 humanitarian crisis. Riyadh on Monday declared $ 430 million, the Emirates $ 230 million and Kuwait $ 20 million.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced nearly $ 191 million in new donations bringing Washington’s total to $ 350 million by the end of September. The European Union pledged $ 114.66 million; Germany said it would provide $ 241 million, of which it has so far provided $ 176 million, while Britain promised $ 121 million.
Failure of Humanity
“By $ 2 billion of the amount needed, the world’s richest countries have washed their hands of responsibility for this failure of humanity,” said David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Commission working in Yemen. “This amount means cuts in emergency deliveries of food, water, shelter and medical equipment,” said Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council. “This deficit in donations will be measured by lost lives,” he said./VOA
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