UN warns 18 million people face hunger in Yemen, amid funding shortages

The UN warned on Saturday that the hunger crisis in Yemen is set to worsen as funding shortages continue.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen issued a statement on X, saying that 18 million people in Yemen, equating to around 52 percent of the population, will face acute hunger by September.

The statement added that by next September, 41,000 people will be facing severe food insecurity, to the point of famine or phase five of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

The office noted that at least one in five families will face a near-total shortage of food and other necessities, further increasing their risk of death by starvation.

OCHA urged for support and immediate action to address the worsening food insecurity in the country, especially in high-risk areas.

"For families, this means fewer meals, selling their shelters and livestock & other impossible decisions every day. Urgent support is needed now," the statement from the organisation read.

According to the UN agency, the humanitarian response plan in Yemen for the current year remains severely underfunded, noting that the funding received by them in eight months represents only 17 percent of the $2.48 billion required to meet the humanitarian needs of the population.

The most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis carried out for Yemen in June, showed that 5.5 million people will be facing severe food insecurity at the emergency level (phase 4), while around 12.6million will suffer from food deterioration at the crisis level (phase 3), between September and February 2026.

Ongoing turmoil and war in Yemen have killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions of others. the unrest has pushed the country into economic collapse, leaving around 80 percent of the population dependent on humanitarian aid.

OCHA statistics further revealed 8.4 million Yemenis lack essential healthcare and 1.8 million women and girls lack access to reproductive care.

The funding cuts mean that 75 protection projects have been halted, while an additional 2.2 million people do not have access to life-saving WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) services.