Yemen's Deepening Food Crisis: UN Reports Historic Hunger Levels

More than half of Yemen's households suffer from severe food deprivation due to economic hardship and a pause in northern food assistance. The World Food Programme reports unprecedented hunger, exacerbated by Yemen's civil war, currency devaluation, and reduced oil revenues.

More than half of households in Yemen face severe food deprivation, exacerbated by economic hardships and a months-long cessation of food assistance to millions in the rebel-controlled north, the United Nations food agency reported on Monday.

The World Food Programme's update indicated that 'severe food deprivation' has reached unprecedented levels in northern regions like Al Jawf, Al Badya, Hajjah, Amran, and Al Hodeidah. The WFP halted food aid to the north in December, citing funding limitations and the absence of an agreement with rebel authorities on program downscaling.

The southern part of Yemen, under the internationally recognized government, also faces 'historic highs' of insufficient food consumption, the WFP added.

Yemen's civil war, which erupted in 2014, has devastated the economy, affecting exports and the local currency. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured significant northern territories, including Sanaa, pushing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to restore the government, while the south is governed by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.

The economic divide is exacerbated by rivalry between the Houthi and STC governments, each with its own central bank and currency. The Yemeni riyal has plummeted to an all-time low of YER 1,841 to the US dollar in Aden but remained stable at YER 530 in Sanaa, driven by low foreign currency reserves and dwindling oil revenue.

WFP noted that while essential food items were available in markets across Yemen in May, price hikes made them unaffordable for the most vulnerable communities, driving prices of sugar, vegetable oil, wheat flour, and red beans higher.