CAIRO, Nov. 19 (Saba) – The United Nations has warned of the accelerating collapse of basic services in Yemen due to the aggression, siege and fighting which was described as “devastating.”

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Johannes van der Klaauw said in a press conference in Cairo that the current estimations indicate that more than 14 million people in Yemen cannot get sufficient health care.

He noted that 20 governorates, out of 22 governorates, are affected and that about 2.3 million people were forced to leave their homes which created a deteriorating and desperate humanitarian situation over the past seven months, stressing the importance of promptly finding out a political solution before it is over.

The UN official said that 3 million children and women are in need for medication because of malnutrition while 1.8 million children are deprived of schooling since March.

Klaauw pointed out the increasing deterioration of the basic services as a direct result of the dispute and the lack of necessary supplies to pay salaries or to cover maintenance costs.

21.2 million people at 82% of the overall population have become in need for the various forms of humanitarian assistance in order to meet their basic needs, he noted.

The UN official affirmed the significance to protect civilians and provide them with the basic and urgent services, indicating that more than 19 million Yemenis lack potable water and sanitation and more than 14 million others face food insecurity, while 320 thousand children suffer severe malnutrition.

He also talked about other factors causing humanitarian sufferings such as restrictions on commercial imports.

Klaauw re-affirmed that the Yemeni crisis requires a political solution settling the root causes of the dispute, demanding the international community to find out a political solution in Yemen before it is too late.

He also urged the international community to reduce restrictions on commercial imports, mainly fuel and medical and food supplies and called for commitment to the international humanitarian law and allowing delivery of supplies.


AM
Saba