Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced today nearly $189 million in additional humanitarian assistance in response to the crisis in Yemen, bringing the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for Yemen to more than $327 million in fiscal year 2016. The contribution will help meet urgent humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable people in the Middle East's poorest and most food insecure country, as well as Yemeni refugees in neighboring countries.
Specifically, the new funding—which will be provided through UN and non-governmental partners—includes additional food and nutrition assistance to help those suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition, emergency health care, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The United States is also providing critical support to improve the capacity of Hudaydah Port to receive humanitarian and commercial supplies. In addition, this new funding will provide critical protection, shelter, and other assistance for Yemeni refugees in the Horn of Africa.
Since the conflict broke out in March 2015, more than 3.1 million Yemenis have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the country—or 21 million people—are in need of humanitarian assistance. The USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) estimates that between seven to 10 million people in Yemen are currently in need of emergency food assistance.
The United States has mobilized a robust humanitarian response to the crisis in Yemen despite the complex and insecure operating environment. The United States remains committed to relieving the suffering of the Yemeni people and others displaced by conflict through the provision of humanitarian aid, as well as continued support for peace talks to ultimately end the conflict in Yemen.