UN food agency steps up aid to Yemen, to help another 4mn people

The UN food agency is planning to rapidly scale up food distribution to help another 4 million people in Yemen over the next two months. This would be more than a 50-percent increase in the number reached now, if access can be maintained in the war-stricken country. The “ambitious undertaking” finalizes plans, in the works in recent months, to reach 12 million people with food and nutritional supplements through January, from between 7-8 million now, according to World Food Program’s spokesman Herve Verhoosel. The target population includes some 3 million women and children who need special support to prevent malnutrition, AP reports. The rollout will require “safe, immediate and unimpeded access for food and other vital supplies.” WFP’s announcement on Thursday comes as Yemen’s warring parties are to hold UN-mediated talks in Sweden.