Statement by NRC’s Secretary General Jan Egeland ahead of the Yemen pledging conference in Geneva tomorrow
Millions of lives are at stake in Yemen. We urge governments to increase funding to meet the needs created by this horrific man-made humanitarian disaster. It is no coincidence that the top donors for Yemen’s humanitarian aid over the last year were the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, funding 60 per cent of the total response plan, with the UK further down funding 5 per cent of the response. They have, with other nations on both sides, contributed to the war, which has produced the shocking 24 million Yemenis in need of aid. That is more than three fourths of the entire Yemeni population. We also need more money from governments who are not involved in this brutal war.
But more importantly, we need to see an end to the hypocrisy of nations trading in arms or raining down shells and bombs on Yemeni civilians caught in crossfire. Yemenis need much more than just money. They need an end to interference by political and military authorities in aid delivery. They also need a lifting of the blockade, all ports and airports reopened, public services restored, and a nation-wide ceasefire so that talks can bring an end to the conflict. This is the only way to break the vicious cycle of human suffering.” — NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland
NRC has spokespeople available for interviews in Yemen and in Geneva
B-roll (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/aqg81na93xjctga/AADudexl -kIJPIo4muCnKppua?dl=0) and photos (https://nrc.smugmug.com/Country -Programmes/Yemen/2019/n-dbGkmB/Yemen-pledging-conference-Feb-2019/) can be downloaded for free use and distibution
Notes to editors:
Yemen crisis in figures
- An estimated 80 per cent of the population – 24 million people – require humanitarian assistance.
- More than 20 million people are food insecure with 10 million of them on the brink of famine and 238,000 people experiencing catastrophic level of hunger.
- 3.3 million people remain displaced across the country. This includes 685,000 people who fled fighting in Al Hudaydah and on the west coast
- According to conservative estimates, 17,700 civilians were killed because of the fighting (UN) but detailed research work suggest that the number could reach 80,000 (ACLED).
- An estimated 2,310 people have died from cholera (WHO) and 85,000 children under the age of five have died from starvation (Save the Children).