The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has been forced to halt its malnutrition prevention program in Yemen due to insufficient funding.
The program, which provides food assistance to nearly 2.5 million people, was scheduled to run for six months but has been suspended indefinitely. The WFP estimates that it needs $1 billion to fund the program, but only 28% of this amount has been collected.
The suspension of the program is a major blow to the people of Yemen, who are already facing a dire humanitarian crisis. The country has been mired in civil war for seven years, and the conflict has caused widespread food insecurity. According to the WFP, more than 16 million people in Yemen are currently food insecure, and 5 million are at risk of famine.
The decline in international aid is also a concern. In recent months, there has been a decrease in funding for humanitarian assistance in Yemen. This is due in part to the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has diverted attention and resources away from other crises.
The suspension of the WFP's malnutrition prevention program is a major setback for the people of Yemen. It is essential that donors step up and provide the necessary funding to keep this program running. Without this assistance, millions of people will be left without essential food assistance, and the risk of famine will only increase.
