Drop in UN Aid Increases Food Insecurity in Yemen

The United Nations warned again of the repercussions of increased food insecurity in Yemen’s liberated areas, as economic experts expressed their concern about new risks after Russia suspended the Black Sea grain deal.

Most of Yemen's governorates are witnessing a significant rise in the prices of food commodities and a deterioration in the local currency.

Mohammed Shamsan, a resident of the al-Maqatirah district in Lahj, passes daily by the UN aid distribution center, hoping to receive a food basket to help him provide essential items for his family.

Shamsan, currently looking for a job, lost the aid provided by international bodies the last time food rations were distributed because he traveled for work to a different area, and his wife, who was sick, could not receive it.

He fears his name has been dropped from the lists of aid beneficiaries.

The World Food Program (WFP) indicated that June food prices in Aden and the liberated governorates increased 26 percent on average.

The Program stated that fuel prices recorded a significant increase in addition to the deterioration of the local currency in the liberated areas.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expected the food security situation will likely deteriorate until early September, just before harvests, in line with seasonality, expected increases in food prices, limited access to income/reduced purchasing power, impacts of recent floods, reduced humanitarian food assistance, and continued conflict in front-line districts.

The FAO report stated that the lingering impact of the war in Ukraine would likely aggravate the food insecurity situation further because of expected severe wheat flour shortages and skyrocketing bread prices in response to reduced import flows following Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

- Decline in aid

The WFP announced at the beginning of this month that it would reduce food aid in Yemen by 35 percent, warning that six million people are in the emergency phase of food insecurity.

A few days earlier, the Program announced its humanitarian operations are getting a significant boost with a $2.68 million contribution from the Australian government to support some of the most affected families.

The residents of the liberated governorates are experiencing a new wave of high prices of various basic commodities due to the financial crisis that affected the local markets.

The Yemeni government indicated that basic commodities are available in the country, but residents of several governorates expressed their inability to provide daily and basic needs.

Adviser to Yemen's Ministry of Local Administration, Jamal Balfakih, confirmed that the situation in Yemen is worsening due to the ongoing war and lack of funding.

Balfakih explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that the drop in funding depends on several factors, such as the rise in global need considering recent wars and developments and lack of transparency.

He indicated that the 35 percent reduction and an increase in the operating budget of the organizations, climate change, and high gas prices in Europe would be reflected in a painful economic regression on Yemenis who were supposed to receive aid during the past two years for development in the country.

Balfakih, also the general coordinator of the Higher Relief Committee, confirmed that the government had previously warned of a food crisis, and aid was supposed to be directed during the past two years to agriculture and fish to help alleviate the suffering of Yemenis.

He noted that this will be reflected in increasing societal suffering, especially considering the deteriorating economic situation, and will have painful repercussions on Yemenis.

- Reliance on the Alliance and expatriates

Balfakih said the authorities relied on the Saudi-led coalition to support legitimacy to help Yemen in such crises.

He appealed to Yemeni businessmen and merchants to contribute through their charitable institutions to support the poorest Yemenis and alleviate their suffering in such tragic situations.

Economic researcher Abdul Wahed al-Obali downplayed the impact of reducing the funding of the WFP and other international organizations.

He explained that this is not the first time spending has been cut due to low financing, noting that the basis of benefiting from this aid is minimal for the Yemenis.

Obali indicated that the salaries of the WFP employees would be affected by the funding drop, noting that the Yemenis are the ones who suffer from the increasing rise in the prices of commodities and basic materials.

He explained that Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea grain agreement would aggravate the crisis and cause a rise in wheat prices, borne by the Yemenis and their expatriate families abroad.

The expert stressed that the expatriates are the real and only supporters of the national economy due to their remittances, which reduce the humanitarian crisis for many Yemenis.

Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of the countries that host Yemeni expatriates, as their number reaches approximately 1.3 million.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani spoke on Saturday of attempts to undermine and impede the work of his government.

His remarks were seen as an indirect response to accusations against employees in his office of involvement in a wire-tapping scandal that has rocked Iraq.

The PM was speaking at an event marking the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday.

He stressed the need to “adhere to the Sunnah to ward dangers away from Iraq and confront suspicious behaviors.”

Al-Sudani did not discuss the wire-tapping scandal, but he underlined the government’s commitment to prioritizing public interests and reforms as it runs state affairs.

“We have achieved clear successes that have been evident in all sectors in spite of attempts to tarnish the government’s image and efforts to undermine its work. We will not heed these attempts, but rather forge ahead with determination,” he vowed.

Observers interpreted al-Sudani's comments as an indirect message to the pro-Iran ruling Coordination Framework that has confronted the government over the wire-tapping scandal.

Trusted sources had told Asharq Al-Awsat last week that the Framework is determined to wage a “grinding” battle against al-Sudani to introduce radical change in the country.

Local media has been full of reports and speculation about the scandal, while the government has not offered any tangible evidence in the affair to quell the rumors and claims.

Al-Sudani also held a meeting with head of the Hikma movement Ammar al-Hakim, a major member of the Framework, for talks on political developments, said Hakim’s office.

Meanwhile, head of the State of Law coalition former PM Nouri al-Maliki underscored cooperation between political powers to “prevent any form of collapse” in Iraq.

Maliki, another member of the Framework, remarked that the “majority of countries and governments have to deal with crises... the government is usually the main player that resolves crises but it cannot confront them alone.”

Maliki has emerged as the main rival to al-Sudani in the wire-tapping scandal, hoping to oust him from political life altogether.

Asharq Al-Awsat reported last week that Maliki had demanded from al-Sudani that the government relinquish its jurisdiction over the head of intelligence and that control over the position be transferred to the Framework.

He also demanded that all members of al-Sudani's tribe be removed from state positions, the restructuring of the prime minister’s office and that al-Sudani pledge to refrain from running in the next elections, calling on him to also dissolve his political party

In return, al-Sudani will not be pressured to resign as prime minister.

Drop in UN Aid Increases Food Insecurity in Yemen