Yemen Monitor / CNN:
A commercial vessel loaded with wheat departed from the U.S. state of Oregon earlier this month bound for the Port of Aden in Yemen. However, its fate remains uncertain due to the suspension of U.S. funding for humanitarian aid.
By the time it arrives in mid-May, there may be no authorized entity to receive and distribute the wheat to residents of southern Yemen, many of whom are suffering from severe food shortages.
According to two sources familiar with the matter, who spoke to CNN, the wheat could rot or be looted at the port unless former President Donald Trump’s administration intervenes.
This situation stems from significant budget cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has canceled aid contracts with the World Food Programme (WFP), including those for Yemen and Afghanistan.
CNN reported that the WFP currently lacks the authority and funding needed to manage the incoming wheat shipment, even though funding has resumed for some programs in countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.
Impact of Aid Cuts on Global Humanitarian Efforts
The recent cuts have caused major disruptions across the global aid network. Contracts with dozens of organizations have been canceled or delayed, and even those still working with USAID face an uncertain future—especially after the Trump administration’s decision to halt emergency food aid funding, which shocked many in the humanitarian sector.
The WFP expressed “deep concern” over the funding suspension, warning it could amount to a “death sentence for millions facing extreme hunger.” The United Nations estimates that 17 million Yemenis—half the population—are suffering from food insecurity due to the civil war ongoing since 2014.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce justified the decision by citing “concerns that the funding could reach terrorist groups, including the Houthis,” stressing that Washington had suspended food aid in northern Yemen via the WFP to prevent benefits from reaching the Houthis.
The WFP had previously praised U.S. support but warned of severe consequences if the funding halt continues.
