Following the escalation of violence in recent years, the situation in Yemen has risen from the shadows of numerous crises in the Middle East to be identified as one of the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophes of the 21st century. Five years of brutal civil war, coupled with endemic hunger and disease have left almost 80 percent of the country’s population—approximately 24 million people—requiring some form of humanitarian assistance or psychological support. Moreover, continued attacks from the Saudi-led coalition and armed groups with unabated force have decimated critical infrastructure. The complex political dynamics of this multipolar conflict and dwindling international aid budgets have already posed significant challenges to the resolution of this crisis, and now, the country is facing a new devastating new threat—a global pandemic.
Also read: Understanding the Yemen Crisis Through the Lens of Foreign Actors
The effects of COVID-19 on Yemeni society and economy are manifold. And to really understand its impact, it is important to consider the severity of the social and economic crises in the country. According to the UN, 4 out of every 5 people in Yemen require lifesaving assistance, in the form of medical supplies, food, and water. More than 2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, which could result in stunting. Since the beginning of 2020, about 800,000 people have been forced out of their homes, bringing the total number of displaced persons to almost 4 million. Approximately 110,000 people have contracted cholera in the country this year, and recent floods have increased the risk of malaria and dengue fever.
Despite UN appeals for a global ceasefire in light of the current pandemic, intense clashes between Saudi Arabia and its allies, and the Houthis have continued, leaving the country’s healthcare system in shambles, with barely half of the country’s health facilities even functioning. Amidst this chaos, the number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen is on the rise. The southern city of Aden has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak; however, minimal testing capabilities in the country and aversion to acknowledge the pandemic in some areas render the pandemic virtually immeasurable. In the absence of official data, health workers are counting the number of burials in Aden’s cemeteries to understand the extent of the tragedy.
The COVID-19 crisis has also had a severe economic impact on Yemen, which is already one of the poorest nations in the world. The World Bank estimates that one out of ten Yemenis rely entirely on cash transfers from friends and relatives abroad, and that the decline in the flow of remittances to Yemen due to the pandemic is almost $10 billion, plunging people deeper into crippling poverty. Aid agencies have warned that without sufficient funding for response efforts, the situation in the country is likely to become even more dire, exacting a debilitating financial toll on Yemeni people, many of whom have already been displaced and suffer from malnutrition.
Unfortunately, the task at hand is not easy. The global humanitarian response for the Yemeni crisis since the beginning of the transnational conflict in 2015, has been characterized by chronic underfunding and poor strategies that have done nothing to address the protracted nature of the conflict. Now, as international donors struggle to keep their own economies afloat amid the coronavirus-induced lockdowns, fundraising has become even more difficult.
Also read: Assessing the UAE’s Role in Yemen and Libya
At a June 2 virtual ‘High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen’, donors pledged $1.35 billion to support the response in Yemen. However, this was far short of the $2.41 billion target needed to cover essential lifesaving aid until the end of the year, including programs to counter COVID-19. Ironically, the event was co-hosted by Saudi Arabia, which pledged $500 million. Unsurprisingly, it claimed that a part of that donation—about $200 million—would be used by its state-run relief agency, rather than by local NGOs that are working on the ground in Yemen. This means that the country would be able to direct aid and funds based on its own objectives, rather than where the needs are the highest. The other big donor was the United States, which pledged $225 million and said that it would work to “provide additional funding in the coming weeks”.
Despite these pledges, however, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said that only 47% of the promised $1.35 billion has actually been received. Aid organizations have stressed on the urgency of the matter, stating that in the absence of sufficient funding, more than 30 of the 41 UN programs will have to either significantly reduce the scope of their work in Yemen, or cease operations completely.
Also read: What is the Impact of COVID-19 on International Relief Efforts?
The impact of such a withdrawal of assistance could be catastrophic. The UN World Food Program (WFP) provides monthly food assistance to more than 12 million Yemenis. For the 6 months between March and August 2020, the estimated cost of such an operation was $837 million. However, due to inadequate funding, in April, the WFP began providing food to families every other month, in an effort to stretch resources and continue operations for as long as possible for those who rely solely on WFP food aid. Similarly, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the sole provider of lifesaving reproductive health services in Yemen and has said that if funding is not mobilized by July, it will be no longer be able to support 140 of its 180 facilities in the country. The agency has stated that the closure of such facilities will cut off an estimated 320,000 pregnant women from reproductive health services and that more than 48,000 women could die of emergency obstetric complications.
Yemen is now facing an impossible situation—a crisis within a crisis. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Lowcock described the country as “on the precipice, right on the cliff edge, below which lies a tragedy of historic proportions”, and he is right. Yemen is not equipped to handle a pandemic and without sufficient monetary support for a comprehensive response to the situation, the coronavirus will continue to leave a trail of suffering and deaths across the country. However, it is also important to acknowledge that no matter how much money is raised, the crisis requires a realistic and inclusive political solution. Until that happens, the international community will continue to fail Yemen.
Image Source: UN News