The United Nations on Saturday called on donors to swiftly honor their pledges for Yemen, amid the humanitarian crisis, and support the country as soon as possible.
Millions of Yemenis suffer from displacement, malnutrition and spread of diseases and pandemics, COVID-19 in particular, spokesman for the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said at a virtual press conference in Geneva.
Failure to provide the needed funding will lead to reduction in nutrition supplements for some 1.7 million children and pregnant women, Jens Laerke added, warning of deaths that can be avoided if funding is in place.
Earlier on Saturday, the UN Fund for Population said it had suspended reproductive services at 140 (out of 180) healthcare centers across Yemen following exhaustion of relevant funding.
At another news conference on Saturday, WFP spokeswoman Elizabeth Byrs said the program is in need for US$ 200 million per month to fund its activities in Yemen.
On Thursday, 17 international agencies warned that many Yemenis are at risk of death, as 30 out of 41 UN programs are likely to be paused in fears of low funding.
The Yemeni internationally-recognized government pins hopes on the pledging conference expected to be held in Riyadh by the UN and Saudi Arabia to raise US$ 2.4 billion and meet the war-torn country's humanitarian needs.
