WFP head warns food crisis growing in Yemen

Lack of immediate and unhindered access to people in urgent need of food assistance and the shortage of funding create the possibility of famine for millions, mostly women and children already hungry, in Yemen, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Ertharin Cousin warned Wednesday.

The UN agency estimated that the number of food-insecure people in Yemen is now close to 13 million, including 6 million who are severely food insecure and in urgent need of external assistance.

"Right now, the conflict-driven convergence between the lack of staple food, access to clean water, and a diminished fuel supply create the dawn of a perfect storm for the most vulnerable Yemeni people," Cousin said after a three-day visit to the war-torn country.

More than 1.2 million children are suffering from moderate acute malnutrition and over half a million children are severely malnourished.

Cousin noted that damage to Yemen's next generation may become irreversible "if we don't reach children quickly with the right food at the right time."

Meanwhile, WFP highlighted the recent fighting around major ports will stall the commercial and humanitarian supplies to the country, mainly food and fuel.

Shortages of fuel are not only impacting the food distribution system of both the humanitarian and the private sector but will have a devastating effect on access to clean water, health, electricity and other basic services.

WFP has reached 3.5 million people with food since the beginning of the conflict but the fighting makes deliveries difficult and dangerous. Many road networks in the hardest hit areas of the country are still not operational, making communities in conflict areas inaccessible for aid workers.

According to WFP, an emergency operation scheduled for launch in September is expected to cost some 320 million U.S. dollars for a period of six months. Enditem