Geneva – A UN official in Geneva on Wednesday said Yemen was
on the brink of famine after it was ravaged by almost two years of civil war.
Stephen O’Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said more than two-third of the country’s estimated population of
27 million depended on aid.
He said the UN needed 2.1 billion dollars to help 12 million people in most urgent need.
He added that “two years of war have devastated Yemen and millions of children, women and men desperately need help.
“Without international support, they may face famine in the course of 2017.”
Yemen is a poor country situated on the Arabian Peninsula and it suffered from food
and water shortages even before conflict broke out.
Houthi rebels used the desperate situation in the country to launch campaign against Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
More than 7,000 people have died as a result of fighting, with more than two million displaced.
A military coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, supported the government with air attacks against the Houthis.