WFP: Rising food prices exacerbate hunger in Yemen

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has warned of the intensification of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, with the continuation of the war and siege by the Saudi-led coalition for the seventh year in a row.

“The depreciation of the local currency has caused the rise in food prices, which pushed many in Yemen into extreme poverty, increased hunger rate, and exacerbated the humanitarian situation,” a statement issued by the program said.

The statement added that many Yemeni people depend on food aid.

“As the value of the local currency reached 1,200 Yemeni riyals against the dollar in 2022, while the price of the dollar before the coalition war in 2014 was 215 Yemeni riyals in the local market,” the statement explained.

Nearly 80 percent of the population, approximately 30 million, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, and 13 million are at risk of famine, according to United Nations estimates.

For its part, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that 11 million people in Yemen “will end up closer to starvation” due to the lack of funding for life-saving activities in the country.

It is noteworthy that the coalition war and unjust blockade have worsened the living conditions of the Yemeni people and created one of the worst global crises in the humanitarian field.

YPA