ReliefWeb

The European Commission has pledged €90 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in Yemen, as the conflict-torn country plunges into the world’s worst hunger crisis. The new funding brings the total EU humanitarian aid in 2018 to €118 million.

Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management said: “We are in a race against time to avoid a famine in Yemen. That is why the EU is stepping up its life-saving humanitarian assistance to the Yemeni people. Some 8 million vulnerable people will benefit from our additional funding, that will be directed at covering - among others - nutritional, health, sanitation and protection needs. However, the only way to stop this ongoing humanitarian tragedy is through a political solution that puts an end to the violence."

The conflict has led to the destruction of basic infrastructure and the collapse of the economy and the financial system, which continues to limit access to food, medicine, and fuel. There are continued reports of International Humanitarian Law violations by parties to the conflict.

Around 22.2 million people (over 75 percent of the population) are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 3.5 million people have been displaced. Today’s pledge will continue to ensure the provision of food, nutrition, health services, shelter, water and sanitation, education, and protection for those affected by the ongoing conflict.

With EU support, the United Nations’ World Food Programme will provide food aid to over 8 million Yemenis. The United Nations has warned of an imminent famine in Yemen, which could affect half of its population. Nearly 18 million Yemenis are in need of food assistance and approximately 8.4 million are on the brink of famine.

The EU has also been providing aid to tackle the cholera outbreak. With nearly 1.2 million suspected cases in Yemen, it is the largest outbreak ever recorded.