Covid-19 aggravates hunger situation in Yemen, UN, organizations say

Sana’a, Jul 22 (efe-epa).- The coronavirus pandemic has triggered up the levels of hunger in Yemen,  already immersed in the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet before the outbreak, the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations warned on Wednesday.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Wednesday on its Twitter account two thirds of the Yemeni people “have almost nothing to eat”.

“That’s over 20 million people,” the tweet read.

Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that “the number of people facing high levels of serious food insecurity is forecast to increase from 2 million to 3.2 million in the next six months.”

There are several factors behind the estimations, including the armed conflict and the worsening economic situation, as well as the impact of the coronavirus, the locust plague that hits the country and torrential rains.

According to FAO, by the end of 2020, 40 per cent of the Yemeni people will be exposed to “high levels of acute food insecurity even if humanitarian food assistance and access to those in need are maintained”.

The Norwegian Refugee Center, for its part, warned that 25 per cent of vulnerable Yemeni families have lost their source of income since Covid-19 was detected in the war-torn country in April.

Food is the main concern of 94 per cent of the families, a survey conducted by the NGO revealed.

“The coronavirus pandemic, coming on top of a lethal confluence of other challenges, has accelerated the misery of the poorest nation in the region, with more families already in poverty earning even less and facing more hunger,” NRC’s Country Director for Yemen, Mohamed Abdi, said.

Both NCR and FAO stressed the need for more funds for humanitarian operations in Yemen to tackle the crisis that threatens to undo the progress made in the fight against hunger in the country last year.