Islam Times - Yemen Faces World’s Worst Famine, Needs $3.85 Billion: UN Warns

Islam Times - Yemen "is falling off a cliff" and will face the worst famine the world has seen for decades unless donors contribute generously to this year’s United Nations [UN] humanitarian appeal for $3.85 billion, the UN humanitarian chief warned.

Mark Lowcock said the 4 million people who didn’t receive food last year "are among those essentially in the long, slow, brutal, painful, agonizing process of starving to death."

He spoke ahead of Monday’s pledging conference co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will appeal for $3.85 billion.

"Without that funding, a lot more people will die, there could be catastrophic prospects unleashed in the country," Lowcock warned. "Because of the state in the country now, where there [are] already pockets of famine, what we’re going to see is the worst famine the world has seen for decades. So, there is a lot at stake and there’s an urgency."

Lowcock stressed that in order to keep the situation in the country "stable" for the peace process to have a chance, the humanitarian situation must improve to where it was in 2019 when 13-14 million people per month were receiving food -- and that requires $3.85 billion funding.