HIGHLIGHTS

Food insecurity levels and severity expected to further deteriorate between June and September

COVID-19 outbreak overwhelms Yemen’s collapsing health care system

Escalated conflict since January has displaced approximately 66,500 people in northern Yemen

International donors pledge more than $1.3 billion at KSA- and UN-hosted pledging event for Yemen

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

The UN has called for increased support for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response efforts and health care services in Yemen, as the outbreak has overwhelmed the capacity of Yemen’s deteriorated health system. The U.S. Government (USG) is supporting international non-governmental organization (INGO) and UN partners to provide urgent health and other emergency assistance to address the impacts of COVID-19 throughout the country.

An estimated 19 million people in Yemen may be experiencing acute food insecurity by September, representing an increase of 2 million people, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). The projected increase is primarily a result of ongoing conflict and worsening economic conditions, compounded by the global economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a June 2 high-level pledging conference hosted virtually by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), international donors pledged more than $1.3 billion to support emergency response efforts in Yemen. During the event, U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker—who led the USG delegation— reiterated the USG's recent $225 million contribution to support the UN World Food Program (WFP)'s emergency food assistance operations as a clear example of the USG's continued commitment to the Yemeni people.