The United Nations World Food Programme has welcomed a US$ 10 million contribution from the Government of Japan to provide life-saving food assistance in Yemen, where people are pushed to the brink due to a prolonged conflict, an economic crisis, and the fallout of the war in Ukraine. The funding will enable WFP to provide emergency food assistance to around 2.5 million vulnerable people in the north and south of the country, including Taiz, Sana’a and Hadramout. Food insecure households will receive preventative and life-saving food assistance, such as wheat flour and vegetable oil.

“The contribution comes at a critical time when we are facing mounting humanitarian needs amid severe funding shortfalls. We are grateful for Japan’s generous support, which will provide crucial assistance to save millions of people desperately in need,” said WFP Country Director in Yemen Richard Ragan.

Yemen is experiencing one of the worst-ever humanitarian crises, with 17.4 million people facing acute food insecurity. Currency devaluation and hyper-inflation are driving the economy to near collapse. Food prices have more than doubled across much of Yemen this year, leaving families unable to afford food.

Yemen imports over 90 percent of its food requirements, leaving the country highly susceptible to global food price fluctuations. With its heavy reliance on direct imports of wheat from Russia and Ukraine, the country has been hit hard by grain export disruptions from the Black Sea region and surging food and fuel prices following the crises in Ukraine.

A Shortage of funding forced WFP to reduce food rations for eight million people at the beginning of the year. Only five million people who are at immediate risk of slipping into famine conditions have continued to receive full food rations.