EU will pledge additional €40 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen at United Nations General Assembly

Today the European Commission will announce at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, its intention to allocate a further €40 million of emergency humanitarian aid to provide life-saving assistance for people in need in Yemen.

The country has become one of the world's largest humanitarian crises after a year and a half of conflict with 82% of the Yemeni population in need of assistance.

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides said, "The EU is stepping up vital humanitarian assistance to Yemen which is in a desperate situation. The whole country is suffocating from a lack of food, of water, fuel, and the economy is collapsing. Civilians are paying the highest price for the conflict, as their resilience has reached its limits. Attacks against civilians, including aid workers, continue to happen. The humanitarian response needs to be scaled up. This additional funding will help humanitarian agencies in the country that operate under extremely difficult circumstances to continue providing life-saving assistance, such as health care, water and sanitation, nutrition and food security".

The extra funds planned today come in addition to the €80 million in humanitarian aid the European Commission made available since 2015 to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Background:

In March 2015, Yemen descended into widespread armed conflict. A year and a half year into the conflict, the already dire humanitarian situation in the country has significantly deteriorated. The de facto blockade imposed on the country, the destruction of basic infrastructure, compounded by the collapse of the economy and financial system has severely limited imports of food, medicine and fuel. The health sector is also close to collapse.

Humanitarian organisations estimate that 21.2 million people (82% of the total population) are in need of humanitarian assistance, 14.4 million people are food insecure; 14.1 million are in need of health care and 19.3 million lack access to water and sanitation. 2.8 million need access to shelter and household items.

For more information:

Yemen factsheet:

http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/yemen_en.pdf

Joint statement on the attack of an MSF health centre in Yemen by High Representative / Vice-President Federica Mogherini and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides(10 January)

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-16-41_en.htm

Press release: European Commission increases humanitarian aid for Yemen crisis(14 December 2015)

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-6311_en.htm

IP/16/3115