Link to article: UN Warns of Yemen famine; no aid from Saudis, UAE, Kuwait
As the crisis in Yemen begins to climb once again, the UN has called out Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait for failing to donate any money towards aid. Although each of these countries had previously pledged money, they took no action, leaving the UN with just around $1bn of its original $3.4bn goal. Failure to meet the full amount will mean cuts to aid programs currently providing necessities to the millions of Yemenis depending on it.
Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in conflict in Yemen have worsened its state over the past months. Yemenis seeking refuge in provinces such as Marib risk being pushed back out to avoid battle, leaving more people displaced throughout the country. Furthermore, Houthi rebels have shut down the Sanaa airport, blocking off UN and humanitarian aid access. Lastly, the Houthis and UN have been partaking in an ongoing dispute regarding an oil tanker that has been left off the Hodeidah port, posing the risk of an explosion or burst.
UNICEF has labeled the Yemen crisis as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, and it needs all the help it can get before it completely collapses. The UN urging Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait to pay what they had promised will hopefully put more pressure on the situation, although money won’t fix the whole problem. Yemen needs political and religious peace before humanitarian aid can make a lasting difference.
The civil war between Yemen’s government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and the rebel Houthi group, backed by Iran, is the root cause of the rising humanitarian disaster throughout the country. Longstanding Islamic differences between the Shia and Sunni Muslims place Yemen in the middle of conflict, as Saudi Arabia and Iran fight for influence. Until those differences are resolved, Yemen will continue to struggle.
Additionally, with Yemenis already suffering over outbreaks of multiple diseases and malnutrition, COVID-19 poses a whole new threat. The lack of food, water, and healthcare is playing a large role in the deaths of thousands of Yemenis. If people don’t have access to basic necessities and treatments for curable diseases such as malaria and cholera, it’s hard to see hope for them to find widespread access to a cure for a disease which the rest of the world isn’t even sure about yet.