The United Nations announced that it could reduce its humanitarian programs in Yemen due to a lack of funding, warning that “most of the money will run out in September.”
The Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said in a daily press briefing that heavy rains and flooding had affected at least 28,000 people, according to initial estimates.
“Our humanitarian partners [OCHA] on the ground are conducting assessments and providing assistance, including shelter, food, and health care,” he said.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus cases have increased over recent days, with concerns that the country is entering a third wave.
In addition, the spokesman indicated that just over 310,000 vaccines had been administered, meaning only 1 percent of the population has received their first dose.
At the same time, more than half of Yemenis face crisis levels of food insecurity, and 5 million people are only one step away from famine, according to the UN.
Dujarric cautioned that the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan is currently 47 percent funded, with $1.82 billion has been received out of the $3.85 billion required. However, most of the money will run out in September.
The official stressed that “additional and predictable funding is urgently needed so that we can continue to send life-saving assistance to the people who need it.”
Due to limited funding, some UN agencies may have to scale back programs, as of September 2021, including water, sanitation, health, shelter, and other sectors.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the consequences will be catastrophic for millions of people.
“More than 16 million people will face hunger this year, and nearly 50,000 Yemenis are already starving to death in famine-like conditions.”
Over 20.1 million people in the country need some form of humanitarian assistance and protection due to a range of factors, including escalation of hostilities, economic collapse, reduced government capacity, severe shortages of humanitarian funding, and access challenges.
The United Nations says the fuel crisis, which began in mid-2020, especially in the north, has continued to negatively impact livelihoods, increasing pressure on the prices of food and water and other essential commodities.
It is crucial to ensure fuel supplies for at least three months to maintain the import and distribution of essential commodities without risking the supply chain.
OCHA noted that the increase in fuel prices is exacerbating the prices of food commodities throughout Yemen due to the deteriorating economic situation.
In general, livelihood activities are expected to experience reduced production due to above-average fuel prices, while transportation costs are rising, preventing people from traveling to market or accessing life-saving assistance and medical treatment.
