The United Nations will shut down some 22 lifesaving humanitarian programs in Yemen in September and October unless the organization receives the funds promised by international donors at the conference in February, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujaricc said in a press briefing on Wednesday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2019) The United Nations will shut down some 22 lifesaving humanitarian programs in Yemen in September and October unless the organization receives the funds promised by international donors at the conference in February, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujaricc said in a press briefing on Wednesday."Commitments made by donor countries at a pledging event in February for the crisis have failed to materialize," Dujarric said. "A staggering 22 lifesaving programs will close in the next two months, unless funds are received."
According to Dujarric, at least 12 million people would face the reduction of food rations and some 19 million Yemenis will lose access to health care in the coming weeks if resources are not provided. Another five million people will be cut off from clean water programs at the end of October.
The spokesman added that the funding crisis might also force tens of thousands of displaced families to find themselves homeless.
On Tuesday, United Nations Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Ursula Mueller warned that the gap in resources in Yemen's response plan, which is currently only 32 percent funded, threatens to cut off humanitarian aid for 2.5 million malnourished children in September.
In February, international donors pledged $2.6 billion at the Geneva conference aimed to address the humanitarian consequences of Yemen's war. Saudi Arabia promised $500 million in aid, while Kuwait pledged $250 million.
Yemen, a nation in the south of the Arabian peninsula, has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces, led by President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi, and the rebel Houthi movement for several years now. At Hadi's request, the Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis since March 2015. The conflict has resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis.
