One billion two hundred million dollars is the amount pledged by donor countries to help Yemen. The United Nations organized this Monday, February 27 in Geneva an international conference to try to raise funds for this country devastated by eight years of war. Thirty-one countries have pledged to support the work of humanitarian organizations in Yemen. But the amount announced is almost four times lower than expected.
After eight years of war, this was the seventh donor conference for Yemen. And to underline the urgency of the situation, the UN had given the subtitle to this event: “Yemen can’t wait” (“Yemen can’t wait” in French).
But the pledges are well below the expected amount. When humanitarian organizations asked for more than $4 billion, participating countries offered only $1.2 billion.
The needs in Yemen are enormous: two thirds of the 33 million inhabitants should be able to benefit from assistance. But the donations are not up to the challenge.
Already last year, the United Nations had obtained only half of the sums requested and the humanitarian agencies had to reduce the number of food rations distributed.
“ The international community has shown that it has abandoned Yemen “, denounced an official of the NGO NRC, the Norwegian Refugee Council. She sees in her weak promises the sign that ” some humans are worth less than others “, she was indignant.
The UN chief for humanitarian operations was also hoping for more. But he wants to be less gloomy and recalls that last year, the initial promises were of the same order as those of this year and that, ” given the gravity of the situation they had finally doubled.
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