According to the United Nations, nearly 20 million people in Yemen will be in need of aid: Is a humanitarian crisis looming?

The UN Security Council met to discuss developments in Yemen. UN rapporteurs speaking at the meeting reported that it is projected that 19.5 million people in Yemen will be in need of humanitarian aid by the end of 2025. The UN report also stated that the number of people in need of aid has increased by 1.3 million compared to the previous year.

Briefing member states at the meeting, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya pointed out that the conflicts in and around Yemen continue to have increasingly alarming humanitarian consequences for civilians.

Msuya noted that Israel's airstrikes on Hodeidah and Sana'a have led to the death and injury of dozens of civilians and have also caused major damage to civilian infrastructure.

Pointing out that a worrying increase has been observed in the last month in attacks on vital civilian infrastructure, on which millions of people depend for electricity, safe movement, and the import of basic food and medical supplies, Msuya reported that Yemen meets more than two-thirds of its population's food needs and approximately 90 percent of all its medicine through imports.

Msuya mentioned that humanitarian aid workers need sea ports to bring in aid, including life-saving assistance, food, and medicine.

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS DEEPENS IN YEMEN

Stating that more than 17 million people, corresponding to nearly half of Yemen's population, cannot meet their basic food needs, Msuya noted that nearly half of children under the age of 5 are experiencing moderate to severe stunting due to malnutrition.

Underlining that the people in Yemen are living through a serious humanitarian crisis, Msuya warned, 'According to the humanitarian appeal to be released shortly for 2025, the crisis is worsening. At least 19.5 million people in Yemen will need humanitarian aid and protection this year. This number is 1.3 million more than in 2024.'

Reporting that cholera is also spreading at a terrifying rate in Yemen, Msuya also stated that approximately 4.8 million people have been displaced.

Msuya underscored that they will continue to help those in need in Yemen, adding that modest but continuous progress has been made in this area.

Stating that in recent months, visas for international personnel have been approved in an expedited manner and that agreements have been seen with non-governmental organization partners in Houthi-controlled areas, Msuya said this is a promising development in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles for humanitarian aid operations.

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg noted that he spent most of last year trying to protect Yemen from regional escalation and focusing on drawing attention to the opportunity to resolve the conflict in Yemen, assessing that, 'However, the situation has become increasingly internationalized.'

UNICEF has been reporting in its statements since 2017 that one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises is taking place in Yemen

ISRAEL'S ATTACKS DEEPEN THE CRISIS IN YEMEN

Pointing out that Israel's recently increased airstrikes have damaged critical civilian infrastructure, including ports and airports, Grundberg said these have also affected humanitarian aid.

Noting that ceasefire negotiations in Gaza could provide an opportunity to de-escalate tensions, Grundberg continued his remarks as follows:

'However, to date, the escalating cycle of attacks and counter-attacks has hindered hopes for peace and diverted critical attention and resources away from Yemen. These actions threaten maritime security, destabilize the Yemeni economy, and complicate regional stability. Resolving the crisis in Yemen is becoming increasingly urgent for ensuring regional stability.'

Grundberg underscored that the determination to focus on peace in Yemen remains, expressing that tensions in the region must be de-escalated and UN efforts in this framework must be supported.

Stating that, given the rising tensions in the region and uncertainty in the international community, he is concerned that the parties might reassess their options for peace and make miscalculations based on faulty assumptions, Grundberg emphasized, 'This Council acting in unity and sending a consistent message to the parties regarding the importance of a negotiated solution will play a decisive role in the coming months.'

Since Yemen's involvement in the Gaza War, Israeli, US, and British warplanes have been conducting large-scale airstrikes on the country