The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is launching a USD 159 million appeal today to meet the urgent needs of over 4.6 million individuals affected by Yemen’s conflict.
The Yemeni populace is suffering from a deteriorating economy and growing hostilities in Yemen’s seven-year-long conflict, according to IOM’s Deputy Director General, Ugochi Daniels, ahead of today’s Pledging Conference for Yemen.
Public services are on the verge of collapsing across Yemen, while food, fuel, and other basic commodities costs have risen in recent months, forcing more than 80% of Yemenis into poverty.
“Despite the rising humanitarian needs around the world, the people of Yemen must not be forgotten” said DDG Daniels before the conference co-hosted by the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland. “More than 20 million people rely on assistance as their only lifeline. Now is not the time to scale down, it is the time to step up.”
The conflict in Ukraine has the potential to exacerbate the problem. Yemen imports nearly 40% of its wheat from Ukraine and Russia, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
At this critical juncture, supporting public services and the economy is critical.
The IOM’s 2022 appeal commits USD 30 million to help communities recover from conflict and economic hardship by restoring public facilities including as schools and hospitals, supporting community-led peace initiatives, and providing job training.
According to the United Nations, there are more than 4 million internally displaced persons in the country. So far this year, the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix has recorded the displacement of nearly 25,600 persons.
