Ireland to Pledge €5m to Yemen - the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis
Press release
26 February 2019
Ireland to Pledge €5m to Yemen - the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis
Today in Geneva, Ireland will pledge to increase its response to the Yemen crisis by a further €5 million, bringing total assistance since 2012 to over €22 million.
Speaking ahead of the conference Minister for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon said:
““Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. A staggering 24 million Yemenis, almost 80 per cent of its population, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. Faced with the shocking scale of suffering and the real risk of further deterioration, it is vital that we come together as an international community not only to meet immediate humanitarian needs, but also to address the underlying causes of this tragic conflict.
Ireland is committed to playing its part in the response to the crisis in Yemen. In 2019 we will disburse a further €5 million to the Yemen Humanitarian Fund.”
Minister Cannon added:
“Only a negotiated political settlement can provide lasting relief to the suffering of the people of Yemen. All parties must engage fully in the UN-led process, and implement in its entirety the Stockholm agreement.
“I would like to pay particular tribute to the humanitarian aid workers operating within Yemen, working in difficult and often dangerous conditions to get vital assistance to those in greatest need. All parties must ensure full access for all humanitarian assistance to all parts of the country, ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers, and uphold international humanitarian law.”
ENDS
Press Office
26 February 2019
Notes to Editor:
- To support the humanitarian response in Yemen and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, the United Nations and the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland are convening a High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen, in Geneva on 26 February 2019.
- Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. In 2019, the UN estimates that 24.1 million people (79% of the population) require some form of humanitarian assistance. The population is affected by widespread food insecurity, and the collapse of the economy and most social services.
- Today’s pledge will bring Ireland’s humanitarian assistance to Yemen to over €22 million since 2012. Ireland is committed to the multilateral response to the situation in Yemen and our support has been channelled overwhelmingly through the UN’s Yemen Humanitarian Fund – including the €5 million announced today.
- The Yemen Humanitarian Fund provides rapid, flexible funding to NGOs and UN agencies which have the best capacity to deliver services on the ground. Services cover a range of different sectors including health, water and sanitation, nutrition and education. Yemen also benefits from the support of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), where Ireland is one of the top ten donors.