NGOs Appeal to 75th UN General Assembly for Aid to Yemen’s 20 Million Hungry People

Sept. 15, 2020 (EIRNS)—An appeal for emergency food and humanitarian relief was issued, posted Sept. 14 on the ReliefWeb, CARE, Oxfam sites, and other signers, by 24 international NGOs, titled, “Joint INGO Statement on Yemen—75th Session of the UN General Assembly.” Variously dated Sept. 14 or Sept. 15, 2020, the document is signed by groups including CARE, Islamic Relief, Mercy Corps, Doctors of the World, Save the Children, and others. The two-page document states, after identifying the need for a ceasefire after seven years of war:

“Two-thirds of the population—20 million people—are hungry, and nearly 1.5 million families currently rely entirely on food aid to survive....

“Yemen is now a drastically under-funded crisis. At a critical time when needs are increasing, famine once again looms, and COVID-19 remains a constant threat, it is inconceivable that funding for Yemen’s humanitarian response is drying up.”

After providing details of the situation, for example, that “in August, only 50% of the fuel normally imported into Yemen was allowed to enter,” the statement concludes with a call for seven points of action:

“In the context of discussions taking place during the 75th UN General Assembly, International Non-Governmental Organizations operating on the ground in Yemen call on the international community...” and then follows with bullet points and brief explanations including: work for a ceasefire, “Urgently provide the resources necessary to meet the ongoing humanitarian needs in Yemen, and ensure that the Covid-19 response is also fully funded.” Also, they request diplomacy to improve humanitarian access in Yemen, efforts to support the economy long term in Yemen, “concerted pressure” on the warring parties to stop weaponizing the means to life, implement recommendations from the Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) on Yemen, for accountability on harm to civilians, and “suspend transfers of all arms and military equipment.”