Members access

 

Register

Forgotten password

Home >  EU Funding news >  News

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

DCI - The EU is revising upwards its humanitarian aid to Yemen

The total EU humanitarian aid to Yemen rose to 20 million euros. Indeed, the gravity of the situation forced the Commission to increase its aid by 5 million euros.Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response said that the situation in Yemen has been going from bad to worse, as the turmoil contributes to an already complex humanitarian picture. When she visited Yemen in January, she declared she was encouraged that the improved access she had negotiated with the government and the Houthi rebels would lift people out of humanitarian need, but now there are new challenges, new needs and newly suffering people,and humanitarian access remains a concern throughout the country.

The Commissioner added that the burden on the most vulnerable is growing heavier by the day, so the European assistance is growing as well. The additional funding the EU commits today is a renewal of Europe's pledge of solidarity to those in need.

This new emergency funding follows an in-depth field assessment carried out by ECHO experts in August. The mission identified a growing need for food assistance for the conflict-affected population in South Yemen as well as assistance to those affected by drought, which boosted food insecurity and malnutrition rates in some parts of the country.

The Commission's assistance will fund food and supplementary feeding, water and sanitation, healthcare, tents and basic household items for the internally displaced, the victims of the ongoing food crisis and the refugees from the Horn of Africa.

Commissioner Georgieva opened a humanitarian office of the European Commission in Sana'a in January 2011. From there, the Commission's experts monitor the ongoing situation and coordinate with partner organisations. During her visit, the Commissioner convinced the Yemeni government and the main rebel group of the North – the Houthi - to facilitate humanitarian access and allow the delivery of aid. Thanks to this agreement, humanitarian aid has been flowing to Northern Yemen in recent months, substantially alleviating the emergency caused by fighting and drought.

The Commission continues to work with its humanitarian partners to distribute aid, respecting the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality and impartiality. However, due to the internal conflicts of Yemen, the security concerns and the restrictions to access, the delivery of humanitarian assistance continues to face many obstacles. Despite these challenges, the Commission will maintain its impetus to help the people in the most severe need together with humanitarian organisations.

Background

Yemen is going through political volatility and rising insecurity, which exacerbates a humanitarian situation which was already serious due to long-term security concerns, extreme poverty and continuous conflicts. In recent months, the number of vulnerable Yemeni has surged, as power and fuel shortages have disrupted the local economy, food prices are rising and the food crisis is deepening. Moreover, the ongoing political and tribal conflict has swelled the ranks of internally displaced persons, whose number is over 400,000 today. Humanitarian experts have detected very high malnutrition rates in some northern areas.

Yemen is also affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa: a long-time destination for refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia, now the country sees a surge of Somali arrivals, fleeing from the conflict and famine across the Gulf of Aden. According to estimates of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Yemen currently hosts over 200,000 refugees from the region.

Since 1994, the European Commission has provided over €48 million in humanitarian aid to help the most vulnerable population groups in Yemen to survive conflicts, displacements and natural disasters. European assistance provides humanitarian aid for both internally displaced Yemenis and refugees from the Horn of Africa. This assistance has been severely hampered by the current unrest.

Source  Press room - European Commission

More information  Press room - European Commission

linked programmes:

Also read:

Look for a grant Go Recherche avancée