Yemen Monitor/ Newsroom:
A senior UN official warned today that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is deteriorating to unprecedented levels, stating that the country now ranks third globally in food insecurity rates.
Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told the UN Security Council that escalating economic and military crises have worsened the suffering of millions. He predicted that an additional one million people could face acute hunger by next February.
Fletcher noted that around 17 million Yemenis suffer from a severe food shortage, with 20% of families facing a complete lack of food for days on end. He emphasized that these numbers reflect the depth of the daily worsening humanitarian crisis.
Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts, including emergency interventions in Hajjah province to combat child deaths from starvation, the official warned that funding shortfalls and security obstacles are undermining organizations’ ability to respond effectively.
He also pointed out that the continued detention of UN staff and the confiscation of their headquarters are hindering the work of aid groups and increasing the suffering of civilians. Fletcher stressed that these actions do not serve the Yemeni people or contribute to solving the country’s complex crises.
In conclusion, Fletcher called for the immediate release of all detainees and for adequate funding to save lives, warning that a prolonged crisis could make mass starvation a permanent feature of Yemen’s future.
