Geneva, Feb 27, (dpa/GNA) – The United Nations is launching on Monday, a drive for donations to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen, two thirds of whom are in need of support after eight years of civil war.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), based in Geneva, said more than 20 million people in a population of around 30 million needed support.
It says $4.3 billion is needed. Of this, 3.2% has been funded. Only around half of an appeal for a similar amount in 2022 was covered, with the largest donors being the United States, Germany and the European Union.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, is expected to pledge aid running to hundreds of millions of dollars in Geneva.
The war has forced millions of people to flee. More than 2 million children are severely malnourished, and hundreds of thousands are in life-threatening condition. The country’s economy has been destroyed and food prices have risen sharply.
A six-month cease fire expired in October last year, and efforts to secure peace have failed, even though a major escalation in hostilities has been avoided.
Shiite Houthi rebels backed by Iran, overran much of the country in 2014. They are opposed by the government and a military coalition led by Saudi-Arabia.
GNA