SANAA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A coalition of 190 humanitarian organizations operating in war-torn Yemen issued an appeal on Monday for donors to provide support to 18.2 million people in dire need, warning of "catastrophic consequences" if funding gaps persist.
In a joint statement, the UN agencies, international NGOs, and Yemeni civil society groups said only 400 million U.S. dollars of the 2.7 billion dollars required for the 2024 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan have been delivered so far this year.
"More than half of Yemen's population, or 18.2 million people, including 14 million women and children, require humanitarian assistance and protection services after nine years of conflict," the statement said.
It added that the humanitarian community in Yemen continues to provide one of the world's largest aid operations despite an "extremely difficult and complex" environment.
However, the lack of funding is posing a severe challenge, forcing delays, reductions, and suspensions of life-saving programs that millions depend upon to survive in the country.
"Failure to act will have catastrophic consequences for the lives of Yemeni women, children, and men," the groups warned ahead of a donor meeting to be held in Brussels on Tuesday.
That meeting, hosted by the European Union, represents "a crucial moment to mobilize support and collective action" for addressing Yemen's deteriorating humanitarian crisis, they said.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi group seized control of the capital Sanaa, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention months later.
The conflict has sparked the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, with millions being displaced and facing famine, disease outbreaks, and a severe lack of basic services after years of bombing and economic collapse. ■
