UN Requests $2.7 Billion to Assist Yemen in 2024

The United Nations issued a call today, Thursday, for $2.7 billion to fund humanitarian operations this year in war-torn Yemen, where most of the 18 million needy people reside in the northern part of the country governed by the Iran-aligned Houthi group. Peter Hawkins, the acting UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, described the amount sought by the UN as more realistic than the $4.3 billion requested last year. The 2023 appeal was funded at around 40 percent only. Hawkins stated that the goal is to establish a humanitarian program that better targets the most vulnerable groups and has a greater impact. He emphasized that Yemen should not be forgotten at a time when the world is facing multiple humanitarian crises. He added, "Continuous investment has brought benefits to the people of Yemen—women, girls, and boys." Hawkins identified the main challenge as addressing hunger in a country that imports nearly all of its food needs. When asked whether Yemen's imports have been affected by the recent disruptions in global trade due to Houthi attacks, Hawkins replied, "They have not been affected yet; we are monitoring market prices and food imports. There has been no impact so far." Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the Houthis ousted the government from the capital, Sana'a, in late 2014. A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015 with the aim of restoring the government.