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UN Seeks Generous Aid at Yemen Donor Conference

Displaced Yemeni kids, Yemen March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Ali Owidha/Files
Displaced Yemeni kids, Yemen March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Ali Owidha/Files
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UN Seeks Generous Aid at Yemen Donor Conference

Displaced Yemeni kids, Yemen March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Ali Owidha/Files
Displaced Yemeni kids, Yemen March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Ali Owidha/Files

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Yemen is now in imminent danger of the worst famine the world has seen for decades, calling for immediate action to save the lives of millions of its people.

His warning came ahead of Monday’s virtual donor conference for Yemen, co-hosted by the UN and the governments of Switzerland and Sweden.

“We must end it now and start dealing with its enormous consequences immediately. This is not the moment to step back from Yemen,” the UN chief said, calling on the international community to contribute generously to the UN on aid to Yemen during the high-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in the country.

More than 100 governments and donors will take part in the meeting.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced he will lead the US delegation to the virtual donor conference and will be joined by US Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Gloria Steele, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Richard Albright.

Guterres is calling for $3.85 billion in relief aid for Yemen this year.

Aid funding for Yemen dropped in 2020 amid the coronavirus downturn, resulting in the closure of many humanitarian programs.

The UN and NGO partners received $1.9 billion, or around half of what they received the year before and half of what was needed.

On Sunday, the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that more than 16 million people in Yemen would go hungry this year, with already some half a million living in famine-like condition in the conflict-wrecked country.

It said the risk of large-scale famine “has never been more acute.”

This year, nearly half of Yemen’s children under five will suffer from acute malnutrition, including 400,000 who could die without urgent treatment, the UN agency added.

“We are at a crossroads with Yemen. We can choose the path to peace or let Yemenis slide into the world’s worst famine for decades. An adequately funded aid operation will prevent the spread of famine and create the conditions for lasting peace. If you’re not feeding the people, you’re feeding the war,” Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock warned.

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Arab World

Beirut’s Southern Suburbs Welcome Residents Amid Ruins, Stray Gunfire

A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)
A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)
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Beirut’s Southern Suburbs Welcome Residents Amid Ruins, Stray Gunfire

A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)
A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)

As autumn rain and celebratory gunfire marked the morning after a ceasefire, residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs returned to their streets. Traffic quickly resumed in the densely populated area, a small sign of normalcy.
But the destruction left by Israeli airstrikes tells a different story. Hundreds of buildings were reduced to rubble, with unofficial estimates putting the number of destroyed structures at 450. Many nearby buildings were also damaged.
While the damage is less than the 720 buildings destroyed in 2006, the wider reach of the strikes this time has left even more structures affected, spreading destruction and hardship across the suburbs.
Destruction marks nearly every street in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where the air carries the stench of burned debris and what locals call “strange chemicals” from Israeli airstrikes.
Abed, a young Syrian guard, was collecting what was left of his belongings after a missile hit three floors of his building. While the structure didn’t collapse, the lower floors were destroyed, cutting off access to the upper ones.
Engineers deemed the building unsafe, and officials will decide whether to repair or demolish it. If torn down, residents will have a brief chance to salvage their belongings.
This story is repeated across the area, where crumbling buildings stand beside others severely damaged.
“Our neighbor’s building collapsed, damaging ours,” said Mohammad Hashim, a 60-year-old resident.
“Our home is unlivable—broken stairs, shattered windows, and winter is here.”
Hashim is renting a temporary apartment for $1,500 a month and expects to stay longer than planned.
Unlike in 2006, when Hezbollah quickly compensated displaced residents, no assistance has been offered yet. Many, like Hashim, are unsure whether to start repairs or wait for help.
Amid the destruction, celebrations continue. Hezbollah distributed flags and banners before the ceasefire, turning the streets into a surreal mix of rubble and “victory” parades. Cars waved flags, even as most residents lacked homes to return to.
Gunfire during the celebrations sent some fleeing for safety. “We survived Israeli missiles, but now their bullets might kill us,” a motorcyclist shouted while speeding away.