US Funding To Yemen In Midst Of Growing Tensions Over Water, Electricity Shortages
Fifteen million Yemenis do not have access to safe water and sanitation.
29 Sep 2021 by The Water Diplomat
WASHINGTON DC, United States
The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the country is providing $290 Million USD to help Yemen tackle its humanitarian crisis.
This adds to a total of nearly $4 Billion USD aid funded by the US since 2014 and goes towards helping 20 million Yemen nationals having access to clean water, food, health, sanitation and education.
IN September the UN’s International Rescue Committee (IRC) urged countries to commit to further finance Yemen relief, a programme that is only 50 Percent funded but upon which 70 Percent of Yemenis rely.
According to the organisation, areas such as water and sanitation, healthcare or education are being affected by the nearly decade-long conflict involving the region’s two major powers: Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Tamuna Sabadze, Yemen Country Director at the International Rescue Committee said: “The cost of underfunding this year is clear. Fifteen million Yemenis do not have access to safe water and sanitation and require assistance, but the water, sanitation and hygiene sector is funded at less than 10 Percent. Clean water is even more important today to stop outbreaks of COVID-19 and other diseases such as cholera which wreaked havoc on Yemen’s already fragile health system.”
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also exhorted countries to fully commit to climate change action pointing out that in areas like the Middle-East, one of the world’s most water-stressed regions, “a major decline in precipitation and a rise in extreme weather events is harming water and food security” and this, in turn, overlaps and fuels existing conflicts.
Water and electricity shortages in the country are also causing further conflict in the country and earlier this month, three demonstrators were killed as violent protests emerged throughout the country fuelled by Yemenis rallying against lack of access to clean water, electricity and a growing employment crisis.
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