NRC Secretary General Warns of Famine Spreading in Yemen

February 8 / Yamanyoon

Secretary-General of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Jan Egeland, warned on Wednesday of famine spreading in Yemen, unless the conflict is ended and the deep economic crisis and aid shortage are reversed.

“In Yemen, if bombs don’t kill you, a slow and painful death by starvation is now an increasing threat,” said Egeland in a statement issued by the council in conjunction with the start of a donor conference for Yemen.

The statement pointed out that the NCR, over the last years, managed to respond rapidly to needs on the ground, but financial commitments must cover the cost of the response in order to reach the most vulnerable.

“Last year’s appeal only gained 58% of funds, limiting our overall response substantially,” the statement said.

The statement appealed to international donors to step up and support the funding, and also to put as much pressure as possible on the involved parties to secure a peaceful situation and revive Yemen’s economy.

“Two years since the conflict escalated in Yemen, more than 17 million Yemenis do not know if they will be able to put food on the table to feed their families”, the NCR warned in its statement, adding that a total of 462,000 children are at immediate risk of death from severe malnutrition.

The statement stated that nearly 2.2 million displaced Yemenis face a number of hardships, including lack of access to water, healthcare, shelter, education and a basic income.

It noted that 75% of the displaced identify food as their top priority among all these aid, illustrating the immediate and desperate need, a daily struggle for survival.

“It is crucial that all restrictions imposed by the US-backed Saudi coalition on aid are lifted so that we are able to deliver life-saving services throughout Yemen,” Egeland said, urging all parties to cease the conflict in Yemen and allow free and clear access to humanitarian agencies, as it is required under International Humanitarian Law.

The statement pointed out that the de-facto blockade on imports, imposed by the Saudi-led coalition, has had a devastating impact on the Yemeni economy, and public sector health workers and teachers do not get their salaries, while the private sector is collapsing in a country that is dependent on imports for 90% of its food.

The blockade, the violence and restrictions to humanitarian access on the ground, as well as the continued destruction of civilian infrastructure in violation of humanitarian law, is turning Yemen into a country where an entire population soon will be dependent on assistance, according to the statement.