“Yemen is now in imminent danger of the worst famine the world has seen for decades. In the absence of immediate action, millions of lives may be lost. … [We] risk a tragedy not just in the immediate loss of life but with consequences that will reverberate indefinitely into the future.”

– António Guterres
United Nations Secretary-General

“Right now, millions of Yemenis are looking to the world for help. The good news is the world knows exactly what is needed to prevent catastrophe: pay for the aid operation, ensure access for aid workers, support the economy and – most of all – end the war. The only question is: what will the world choose to do?”

– Mark Lowcock
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world. Years of conflict, economic decline and institutional collapse have created enormous humanitarian needs in all sectors. The risk of large-scale famine has never been more acute. Assessments confirm that more than 16 million people will go hungry this year, and nearly 50,000 are already living in famine-like conditions. At the same time, Yemen continues to grapple with the effects of cholera, COVID-19, forced displacement, protection risks and other serious challenges.

The Governments of Sweden and Switzerland and the United Nations invited Member States to participate in the pledging event at the Ministerial level and to contribute generously to the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, Country-Based Pooled Fund and the Central Emergency Response Fund for 2021 and beyond. Other partners participated at the Principal level.

The event took place on Monday, 1 March 2021, and was streamed on http://webtv.un.org/. 

Please click here to read the complete article