26.02.2023 22:32 (act. 26.02.2023 22:40)
United Nations solicits donations from donor countries in Geneva ©APA/KEYSTONE
After nearly eight years of civil war, the humanitarian need in Yemen south of Saudi Arabia is immense. The United Nations (UN) plans to solicit donations from donor countries on Monday in Geneva. More than 20 million people were in need of assistance, nearly two-thirds of the country’s residents.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wanted to pledge funds in the hundreds of millions in Geneva. The UN estimates the need for 2023 at 4.3 billion dollars (4.06 billion euros). In 2022, a call for donations of a similar amount was only half answered. The biggest donors were the USA, Germany and the European Union.
The civil war displaced millions of people across the country. More than two million children are severely malnourished and hundreds of thousands are in critical condition. The economy collapsed and food prices rose sharply. Peace efforts have so far failed. A six-month ceasefire expired in October 2022, although there has been no escalation since.
In 2014, Iranian-backed Shia Houthi rebels invaded Yemen. Since then, they have dominated large areas, mainly in the north of the country. They are being fought by the government of Yemen and a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia.