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Food supply

Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as 17 Million Suffer from Hunger

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Over 17 million people in war-torn Yemen are struggling with hunger, including more than 1 million children under the age of 5 who are at risk of life-threatening acute malnutrition. The United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, warned that the number of people going hungry could rise to 18 million by September and the number of children with acute malnutrition could surge to 1.2 million early next year. The crisis has been accelerating since late 2023, with the U.N. seeing the current level of deprivation since before a U.N.-brokered truce in early 2022.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of people going hungry in Yemen could rise to 18 million by September, according to Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief.
  • Over 1 million children under the age of 5 are at risk of life-threatening acute malnutrition, with the number potentially surging to 1.2 million early next year.
  • The U.N. humanitarian appeal for Yemen this year has received only 9% of its $2.5 billion funding goal, with just $222 million raised as of mid-May.
  • The war in Yemen has displaced millions, created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, and turned into a stalemated proxy conflict.
  • Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special envoy for Yemen, warned that escalating Houthi attacks and Israeli airstrikes are deepening the conflict and putting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea at risk.
  • Negotiations offer the best hope to address the complex conflict, with Grundberg emphasizing the need for both sides to signal a willingness to explore peaceful avenues and release conflict-related detainees.

Statistics:

  • 17 million people in Yemen are struggling with hunger, including over 1 million children under the age of 5.
  • The number of people going hungry could rise to 18 million by September.
  • Over 1.2 million children could be at risk of life-threatening acute malnutrition early next year.
  • The U.N. humanitarian appeal for Yemen this year has received only 9% of its $2.5 billion funding goal, with just $222 million raised as of mid-May.
  • More than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, have been killed in the war in Yemen since 2014.

Sources:

  • Tom Fletcher, U.N. Humanitarian Chief, speaking to the U.N. Security Council.
  • Hans Grundberg, U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen, speaking to the U.N. Security Council via video briefing.
  • United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
  • Associated Press (AP).

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