Yemeni Aid or Lack Thereof (2024)

Yemeni citizens' cries continue to fall on deaf ears as the humanitarian crisis in the North African country worsens by the day. While Yemen has long been considered one of the world’s most underdeveloped nations, tensions reached a boiling point in 2014 when Houthi forces overtook large parts of the government in a massive coup. This has resulted in an almost decade long civil war responsible for the deaths of over 377,000 people according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The ruthless fighting has accelerated a dire state of poverty and unrest for citizens, with a UN estimate of 24.1 million at risk of hunger and disease and 15.3 million Yemenis not having access to safe or drinkable water. For much of the civil war, localities have relied on international aid from syndicates such as the UN and World Food Programme to reach the basic needs of their people. The World Food Programme, based out of Rome, has received budget cuts of up to 40% this year, severely impacting its reach in terms of humanitarian aid in places such as Yemen. For this they have been met with tremendous backlash from organizations such as Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee, saying “the decision to pause food assistance will exacerbate the already critical humanitarian situation, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable populations.” On December 5th, the WFP will cease all food deliveries in the northern areas of the country in an attempt to negotiate with the Houthi forces, and on top of this, will decrease the number of aid recipients by almost 3.5 million so that resources can be redistributed to those who “most need them”. In an interview with NPR’s All Things Considered, World Food Programme director Cindy McCain stated “I wouldn't be doing this job if I didn't have hope. So I have to believe that we can fix this and that we can mitigate it so that people won't starve. But again, it's going to take all of us to do it.” While the decision makers in these organizations may continue to have hope in their strategies, all it takes is a look at the numbers to understand why many onlookers are starting to develop an heir of skepticism. With over 13 million waiting for assistance and 2 million displaced in 2023 alone, there is a clear need for answers and it appears that as of right now the WFP and UN are not prepared to give them.