A top United Nations aid official has warned the Security Council that Yemenis are 'hanging by a thread' as the nation faces an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis. Edem Wosornu, Director of the Crisis Response Division for OCHA, reported that 22 million people require humanitarian aid, with over 18 million facing severe hunger. Two out of every three families are skipping meals daily, and women and children are disproportionately affected.
Mr. Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy for Yemen, noted that after a decade of conflict, Yemen has little capacity to absorb new shocks. Rising regional tensions have driven up food and fuel costs, exacerbating pre-existing issues like inadequate public services and delayed salaries. These economic pressures, combined with obstructions to exports and the weaponization of economic life, mean ordinary Yemenis are paying the price for decisions made by others.
Aid operations are significantly hampered. Seventy-three UN staff remain arbitrarily detained by the Houthis, assets have been seized, access is restricted, and regional supply chains are disrupted. Ms. Wosornu stressed that the gap between available resources and soaring humanitarian needs is widening, stating that the 'thread' holding Yemenis together is now fraying.