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12:01 GMT
BRUSSELS, May 21 (KUNA) -- The European Commission announced on Wednesday the allocation of EUR 80 million in humanitarian aid for the year 2025 to support the most vulnerable populations in Yemen.
This came as part of the European Union's continued commitment to assisting the Yemeni people amid worsening humanitarian challenges in the country.
In a press release, the Commission noted that the new humanitarian funding will be directed toward meeting essential needs, including the provision of food and health services "particularly those related to combating malnutrition and epidemics" as well as support for water, sanitation, hygiene, education, and other vital sectors.
The assistance will be implemented through the EU's humanitarian partners, including United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations, which continue to deliver relief to vulnerable groups affected by conflict, displacement, and recurring climate emergencies.
The funded humanitarian programs will also include the provision of protection services, such as mine clearance and mine risk education, aimed at safeguarding civilians and enhancing their safety.
The announcement coincides with the Seventh Senior Officials Meeting on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, being held in the Belgian capital, Brussels, with the participation of EU Commissioner for Hadja Lahbib, along with representatives from donor states and organizations.
Yemen continues to endure one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, as a decade of conflict, economic deterioration, and climate-related events have left more than 19.5 million people -- over half of the population -- in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Approximately 2.4 million children also suffer from malnutrition.
The Commission highlighted that unprecedented and sudden cuts in humanitarian funding have had a severe impact on aid programs in Yemen, forcing humanitarian agencies to drastically reduce their life-saving operations.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2015, the European Union has provided nearly EUR 1.6 billion in response to the Yemeni crisis -- over EUR one billion in humanitarian assistance and around EUR 500,000 to support development and peacebuilding efforts -- making the European Commission the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, in addition to significant contributions from EU Member States. (end)
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