Sana´a _ Agencies
The United Nations on Monday launched a humanitarian appeal to donor countries and institutions to raise $4 billion in response to Yemen´s humanitarian aid needs for the year 2019.
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Emergency Relief Coordinator Marc Lecoq, said that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will convene an international conference of international donors in Geneva on February 26 February for this purpose.
"The humanitarian and food situation in Yemen is severely deteriorating, and we desperately need this funding, to address that situation," Lukok said at a press conference.
"Next year, the United Nations aims to reach 15 million Yemenis with food aid, including 10 million people in dire need," he said.
For more than four years, Yemen has been witnessing a war between government forces and al-Houthi militants, which have been in control since September September 2014, in governorates including the capital, Sana´a.
The Yemeni conflict has regional stretches, since March March 2015, an Arab alliance, led by the neighbour Saudi Arabia, has been conducting military operations in Yemen, in support of government forces, against the Houthis, who are accused of receiving Iranian support.
As a result of this war, half of Yemen´s population, about 14 million people, is facing imminent famine, with more than 22 million people needing humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations. -
