About 75% of UN aid programs in Yemen will ‘close or reduce operations’

Aid organizations are making an urgent plea for funding to shore up their operations in war-torn Yemen, the United Nations has said. Some 75 percent of UN programs in Yemen have had to shut their doors or reduce operations.

The World Food Programme has had to halve rations, and UN-funded health services have been reduced in 189 out of 369 hospitals nationwide, AP reported.

The dwindling funds are the result of several factors, including obstruction by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. They control the capital, Sanaa, and other territories. The US, one of the largest donors, decreased its aid to Yemen earlier this year, citing interference by the Houthis. Reports also indicate that the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming rate throughout the country.

It’s unclear whether the Houthis will allow monitoring and oversight or give UN agencies the space to operate. A UN pledging conference for Yemen on Tuesday seeks $2.41 billion to cover essential activities from June to December.