The hunger crisis in Yemen is worsening sharply, with the proportion of people unable to meet basic food needs rising from about half to nearly 60 percent within a month.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned on Tuesday, calling for urgent funding to prevent further deterioration.
The number of Yemenis experiencing the most severe levels of deprivation has increased from one in four to nearly one in three.
Fletcher briefed the UN Security Council, stating that over 18 million people—more than half the country’s population—are now facing acute hunger.
In government-controlled areas, around 5 million people are experiencing severe hunger, while more than a quarter face emergency levels of food insecurity.
Although no updated data is available for Houthi-controlled regions, Fletcher emphasized that this should not be seen as an absence of humanitarian needs.
He called for increased international funding, noting that the humanitarian appeal for Yemen has received less than 15 percent of the required financing.
The Under-Secretary-General also urged support for ongoing peace efforts and called for the release of detained UN and other personnel.
Fletcher reported that 73 UN staff members, along with many others, are still arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities.
Yemen’s humanitarian crisis has been largely driven by years of conflict that began in 2014 and escalated into a broader civil war in 2015.
The fighting has disrupted food imports, damaged infrastructure, weakened public services, and contributed to economic collapse.
Yemen relies heavily on imported food, leaving millions dependent on humanitarian aid.
