Norway to provide 3.7 mln USD in humanitarian aid to Yemen

Norway said Friday that it will provide 30 million Norwegian kroner (3.7 million U.S. dollars) to alleviate deteriorating humanitarian crisis in war-torn Yemen.

"We are deeply concerned about the dramatic developments in Yemen. The conflict is having a severe impact on the civilian population and there is an urgent need for emergency aid," Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende was quoted as saying in a statement.

The security and humanitarian situation in Yemen has sharply deteriorated since early March when conflicts erupted in several provinces in the country's southern regions. According to World Health Organization (WHO), 648 deaths and 2,191 wounded have been reported so far, though many unreported cases are sure to exist.

"I urge all parties to the conflict to comply with international law, in particular to respect the rules set out in international humanitarian law on the protection of civilians, hospitals and schools. All parties must do what they can to ensure that the emergency aid reaches the civilian population," Brende said.

Due to extensive fighting in Yemen's capital Sana'a and the strategically important port city of Aden, the UN and international organisations have withdrawn international staff from Yemen. Only a handful of humanitarian organisations are still operating in the country.

Aid workers from the Yemen Red Crescent have been killed and it is difficult to reach the affected population. There have also been reports of overcrowded hospitals, rising food prices and a shortage of water.

Norway's aid will go primarily to NGOs that are still working in Yemen and are able to provide life-saving assistance such as health care, food, safe water and emergency relief supplies, the statement said. Endit