The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has sounded the alarm, warning the Security Council that Yemen is at a critical juncture, with “time not on our side”. The country is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with nearly half of the population – approximately 17 million people – acutely hungry and 4.8 million internally displaced.
## Escalating Conflict and Humanitarian Needs
Despite recent economic de-escalation agreements, Yemen remains at risk of returning to full-scale conflict. Continued fighting and increased rhetoric between warring sides have exacerbated the humanitarian situation. The UN envoy emphasized that more needs to be done to alleviate the humanitarian and economic hardships faced by the Yemeni people.
## Key Challenges:
– *Food Insecurity*: 17 million people are acutely hungry, with 6 million more at risk of falling into emergency levels of food insecurity without sustained humanitarian support.
– *Malnutrition*: 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women and 2.3 million children under five suffer from malnutrition.
– *Economic Collapse*: Yemen ranks as the third poorest country in the world, with half of the population in government-controlled areas facing crisis-level food insecurity.
– *Health Crisis*: The country has recorded over a third of global cholera cases and 18% of cholera-related deaths.
## Call to Action
The UN envoy urged the international community to take immediate action to:
– *Scale up humanitarian funding*: To sustain aid operations and address the growing humanitarian needs.
– *Release detained personnel*: The UN and other staff detained by the Houthis must be released unconditionally.
– *Support peace efforts*: A negotiated settlement is the only way to resolve the conflict, and the international community must work towards a lasting peace.
## Regional Implications
The conflict in Yemen has significant regional implications, with the Houthi attacks on Israel and subsequent retaliatory strikes on Yemeni infrastructure further exacerbating the crisis. The UN envoy emphasized that peace in Yemen is not just about containing threats but about the well-being of the Yemeni people.
