Global Crisis in Yemen Worsens, Call for Immediate International Aid
In Yemen, a fragile nation already grappling with conflict, climate shocks, and economic decline, the situation has worsened significantly. The Yemeni government has issued a stark warning that these factors, coupled with a shortage of aid, are pushing more people towards the brink of famine.
The United Nations (UN) has identified over 41,000 people in the Abs district as being at severe risk of famine. This region, home to Yemen’s second-largest internally displaced population, is primarily composed of women and children living in camps with limited access to food and essential services. Despite the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), supported by the European Union, distributing emergency food and hygiene kits to about 2,000 families, the need is vast, with sharp funding cuts since March 2025 leaving many unmet.
The situation is dire across Yemen, with an estimated 19.5 million Yemenis in need of humanitarian aid in 2025. Over 17.1 million face food insecurity, and nearly half of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition. The World Food Programme (WFP) has had to suspend some malnutrition prevention activities due to severe funding shortages, leaving over 426,000 vulnerable people without critical support. In southern Yemen, nearly 5 million people face crisis or emergency-level food insecurity.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis by destroying livelihoods and disrupting aid delivery. UN officials emphasise that while humanitarian assistance is crucial to keep people alive, a political solution to the conflict is necessary to ensure lasting security and stability.
International response efforts include emergency food aid, nutrition support for children, and hygiene kits distributed through UN agencies and partners. However, funding shortages have resulted in significant gaps, forcing families to resort to desperate coping mechanisms such as selling assets, removing children from school, or child marriage.
Agencies like the UN continue to advocate for more funding, expanded access, and political dialogue. For instance, the RRM mechanism is active but underfunded and cannot meet urgent needs fully.
As the crisis deepens, voices from within Yemen are calling for increased international aid. Al-Saadi, a Yemeni citizen, has urged donor nations and organisations to increase funding ahead of an international food security conference in October. The UN has reported that nearly half of Yemen's children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition, and many children in displacement camps are dying due to this condition. Al-Saadi emphasised that Yemen is on the brink of a difficult phase and cannot stabilise without sustained external assistance.
The Yemeni government has stated that these factors are eroding any prospects for recovery, and a sustainable resolution hinges on progress towards a political settlement in Yemen to stabilise the country and restore livelihoods.
