GENEVA: The UN warned on Monday that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is worsening and that gains made to tackle malnutrition and health would go into reverse due to funding cuts. "We are expecting things to be much worse in 2026," Julien Harneis, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, told reporters in Geneva.
Some 21 million people will need humanitarian assistance this year, an increase from 19.5 million the previous year, according to the UN. The situation has been aggravated by economic collapse and disruption of essential services including health and education, and political uncertainty, Harneis said.
Funding Yemen traditionally received from Western countries was now being cut back, Herneis said, pointing to hopes for more help from Gulf countries. "It is certainly very clear that they're (Saudi Arabia) very concerned and that they do want to do more, so we will explore that with them." The US slashed its aid spending this year, and leading Western donors also pared back help as they pivoted to raise defence spending, triggering a funding crunch for the UN. — Reuters
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