UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Food Insecurity In Yemen - WFP
/
2:56
/
MP4
/
217.1 MB

Edited News | WFP

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Food Insecurity In Yemen - WFP

Covid-19, war and hunger – Yemen’s humanitarian food crisis is becoming worse, warns the World Food Programme (WFP)

As Yemen is facing an escalation of fighting and coronavirus is sweeping across the country, the World Food Programme (WFP) today sounded alarm that “the humanitarian situation in Yemen is deteriorating at an alarming rate”, calling donors for an urgent appeal to fund its life-saving operations in the country. WFP needs US$ 737 million to the end of the year to keep their humanitarian work ongoing.

Speaking today to a virtual press conference at the United Nations in Geneva, WFP’s spokesperson Elisabeth Byrs said that “we must act now. If we wait for the famine to be declared, it will be already too late and people will already be dying”.

A five year long violent conflict between a Saudi-led international coalition supporting President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Houthi rebels which has left over 100,000 dead in Yemen is widely described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

According to Elisabeth Byrs, WFP has had to reduce emergency food assistance at a time when Yemen needs it most. We may have to reduce further”. She added that “WFP needs US$ 737 million to the end of the year to keep this vital safety net for the millions in Yemen who rely on humanitarian assistance to survive”.

Yemen is spiralling into an economic crisis leading to reductions in food supply, soaring food prices and a rapid escalation in food insecurity. The Yemeni Riyal has lost 17 percent of its values since the beginning of the year. These economic factors have a very immediate and direct impact on vulnerable Yemenis. When families cannot afford to buy food, they reduce the number of meals and the diversity of food.

Nearly 10 million people in Yemen are acutely food insecure. They face a daily struggle to find enough food and it is extremely difficult for them to stay at home”, Elisabeth Byrs said. “This is a situation we are seeing in many countries with large numbers of daily wage laborers. Just over 20 million people in Yemen are food insecure of which 13 million, I repeat, receive humanitarian food assistance”.

WFP started distributing food assistance on alternate months in some parts of Yemen in April to stretch the limited resources. If funding is not coming in, WFP may have to reduce the prevention programme to all children under age 2 and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

We have those 2 million children requiring a treatment for malnutrition. Of course, we continue to treat them, and we are quite concerned about the 360 000 children who would be at risk of dying without treatment. That is why this funding is badly needed. We just need those 200 million dollars every month to continue”, WFP’s Elisabeth Byrs said.

The Covid-19 pandemic is having a very real impact on WFP’s operations in Yemen. Movement restrictions, curfews, and a 14-day quarantine period introduced to vessels at the ports of Hodeida and Saleef are creating delays in WFP’s food assistance supply chain. An additional vessel was chartered to catch up with these delays.

"This is an extremely alarming situation and we hope that with this alarm bell to revive the interest of the donors and that they react and understand the urgency of the situation”, said Elisabeth Byrs. “We must act now, now when the indicators are red in order to avoid falling into a situation where we would have to double operations or where people are already starting to starve to death."

According to WFP, after five years of conflict, the country is left with 3,65 million internally displaced people. Less than half of Yemen’s health facilities are fully functioning, nearly half of all children are stunted by malnutrition.

  1. Exterior shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, cloudy, flags fluttering.
  2. Wide shot, Press room at the UN Palais
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “The humanitarian situation in Yemen is deteriorating at an alarming rate. We must act now. If we wait for the famine to be declared, it will be already too late and people will already be dying”.
  4. Medium shot, journalist and spokesperson
  5. Exterior shot, Palais des Nations with UN lettering and logo
  6. SOUNDBITE (English) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “WFP has had to reduce emergency food assistance at a time when Yemen needs it most. We may have to reduce further. WFP needs 737 million USD to the end of the year to keep this vital safety net for the millions in Yemen who rely on humanitarian assistance to survive”.
  7. Medium shot, journalists in Press Room
  8. SOUNDBITE (English) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “Nearly 10 million people in Yemen are acutely food insecure. They face a daily struggle to find enough food and it is extremely difficult for them to stay at home. This is a situation we are seeing in many countries with large numbers of daily wage laborers. Just over 20 million people in Yemen are food insecure of which 13 million, I repeat, receive humanitarian food assistance”.
  9. Close up, journalist
  10. SOUNDBITE (English) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “We have those 2 million children requiring a treatment for malnutrition. Of course, we continue to treat them, and we are quite concerned about the 360 000 children who would be at risk of dying without treatment. That is why this funding is badly needed. We just need those 200 million dollars every month to continue”.
  11. Close up, hands writing
  12. SOUNDBITE (French) - Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “C’est une situation extrêmement alarmante et nous espérons, si vous voulez, avec ce cri d’alarme raviver l’intérêt des bailleurs de fonds et qu’ils réagissent et qu’ils comprennent l’urgence de la situation. Il faut agir maintenant, maintenant quand les clignotants sont en rouge, éviter qu’on tombe dans une situation où il faudrait encore plus doubler les opérations où déjà les personnes commenceraient à mourir de faim ».
  13. "This is an extremely alarming situation and we hope that with this alarm bell to revive the interest of the donors and that they react and understand the urgency of the situation. We must act now, now when the indicators are red in order to avoid falling into a situation where we would have to double operations or where people are already starting to starve to death."

    1. Wide shot, empty chairs in press room
    2. Medium shot, journalists
    3. Medium shot, journalist with spokespersons

Similar Stories

Not a Target UN Protest 18 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNITED NATIONS

Not a Target UN Protest 18 September 2025 ENG FRA

United Nations agencies staff demonstrate on Place des Nations in Geneva, to denounce their colleagues killed in Gaza since October 2023 

WMO - world water monitor 18 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

WMO - world water monitor 18 September 2025 ENG FRA

The world’s water resources face growing pressure from climate change while emergencies related to the vital resource are increasingly impacting lives and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Remarks to HRC 60 Urgent debate

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Remarks to HRC 60 Urgent debate ENG FRA

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council during a meeting on the Israeli strike on negotiators in Qatar on Tuesday. “Israel’s strike on negotiators in Doha on 9 September was a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world,” he said.

Gaza Al-Mawasi update - UNICEF

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF

Gaza Al-Mawasi update - UNICEF ENG FRA

Gaza: Thirsty and starving, war-battered families face ‘inhumane’ evacuation 

As bombs continue to fall on Gaza City as part of the intensifying Israeli military operation, families with starving children are being pushed southwards from one “hellscape” to another, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell on DPRK

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell on DPRK ENG FRA

New UN Human Rights report finds 10 years of increased suffering repression and fear

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday published a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2014. 

Afghanistan update - UNICEF UNHCR 12 September 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNICEF , UNHCR

Afghanistan update - UNICEF UNHCR 12 September 2025 ENG FRA

The ongoing humanitarian response to the devastating Afghanistan earthquake disaster continued on Friday, although essential services have been cut for operational reasons following reinforced Taliban restrictions on women working with the UN, the global body said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on DRC at the 60th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu., 

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC60 Press Conference: Report of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission - 09 September 2025 ENG FRA

A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Ukraine attacks - health update - WHO ENG FRA

Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO

Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.