The Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC) organized a webinar on Monday to discuss the impact of declining international funding on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. The event aimed to explore the repercussions of reduced humanitarian financing on the humanitarian and economic situation in the country, highlight funding gaps and their effect on humanitarian response and services for displaced people, and search for alternative policies and solutions to ensure the continuity of essential aid and services.<\/p>\n
In the opening session, attended by several economic experts, representatives from international and local organizations, and stakeholders concerned with Yemen\u2019s economic and humanitarian affairs, Mustafa Nasr, Chairman of SEMC, presented an overview of the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen resulting from the decrease in international humanitarian support.<\/p>\n
Nasr emphasized that the humanitarian and economic crisis in Yemen continues to worsen despite the humanitarian truce in place since 2022. He pointed out that the decline in military operations has not been matched by any tangible improvement in economic or humanitarian conditions. He explained that more than two-thirds of the population now live below the poverty line, amid rising displacement, deteriorating development indicators, a resurgence of epidemics, and the collapse of basic services such as electricity and water.<\/p>\n
He noted that humanitarian aid, which for decades formed one of the pillars of economic stability in the country, fell to unprecedented levels in 2025. Only 9-10% of the annual humanitarian response plan, estimated at $2.5 billion, has been funded. He attributed this decline to a mix of geopolitical and economic factors, including the impact of the war in Ukraine and reduced commitments by donor countries, particularly the United States, which had provided over $6.4 billion since 2015 before halting support during the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
Nasr pointed out that this funding contraction led to the suspension of key humanitarian programs in several governorates, including social protection projects, cash assistance, and cash-for-work initiatives, contributing to inflation due to a shortage of foreign currency and declining international support flows.<\/p>\n
Mr. Ibrahim El Haddad, Head of the Information, Analysis, and Communication Unit at the UN OCHA![\"\"](\"https:\/\/economicmedia.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639-\u0627\u0644\u0627\u0646\u0633\u0627\u0646\u064a-\u0627\u0644\u064a\u0645\u0646-2.png\")
in Yemen, noted that humanitarian work in Yemen is facing unprecedented challenges. Only 9% of the $2.47 billion required for the 2025 response plan has been raised, an alarming decline compared to the same period last year, especially after the United States of America, which accounted for 50% of 2024 funding,\u00a0withdrew.<\/p>\n
Al-Haddad explained that the multitude of global crises\u2014particularly in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza\u2014has led donors to reprioritize their funding, which negatively impacted Yemen, where 19.5 million people are estimated to need humanitarian assistance. These growing needs stem from a decade-long conflict, economic collapse, displacement, climate change, and deteriorating infrastructure.<\/p>\n
He confirmed that some organizations have ceased operations or closed their offices, prompting a reduction in the response plan\u2019s scope to target only 8 million people instead of 10.5 million, with the budget cut to about $1 billion. He also highlighted ongoing security challenges\u2014such as airstrikes and the arrest of UN staff and diplomats\u2014which have undermined donor confidence and hampered humanitarian efforts.<\/p>\n
El Haddad noted a current push to restructure humanitarian work by cutting expenses and merging sectors, while boosting partnerships with the private sector and supporting local institutions, which are better positioned to meet real needs. He emphasized the importance of reaching remote and marginalized areas and warned against overlapping interventions, as about 56 organizations are operating in a single easily accessible area.<\/p>\n
He stressed the need to unify the efforts of international and local institutions to confront ongoing challenges, such as cholera outbreaks and electricity crises, and to restore donor trust, which would help enhance response efficiency and provide a more accurate and comprehensive picture of Yemen\u2019s complex humanitarian reality.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/economicmedia.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0636\u0639-\u0627\u0644\u0627\u0646\u0633\u0627\u0646\u064a-\u0627\u0644\u064a\u0645\u0646-3.png\")
<\/p>\n
During the webinar, Saif Muthanna, Director-General of the Executive Unit for IDP Camps Management in Marib, reviewed the scale of the humanitarian disaster linked to internal displacement in Yemen, noting that there are more than 4.3 million displaced persons, including about 2.2 million in Marib Governorate alone, spread across hundreds of sites and camps.<\/p>\n
He explained that the sharp decline in humanitarian funding\u2014particularly the withdrawal of USAID\u2014has led to the shutdown of over 70% of camp management projects and 60% of health and education programs in Marib, despite ongoing efforts by local authorities to submit needs lists and field reports.<\/p>\n
Muthanna criticized the UN Humanitarian Coordinator\u2019s visit to Marib, describing it as \u201cnegative and insufficient,\u201d noting that despite hosting 62% of Yemen\u2019s displaced population, the governorate of Marib was excluded from the UN fund allocation for 2025, which came as a shock to local authorities and working organizations.<\/p>\n
He also pointed out the continuous establishment of new camps due to the daily increase in displacement, noting that over 18,000 displaced families are at risk of eviction due to economic deterioration and lack of resources.<\/p>\n
Muthanna called for a gradual shift from emergency solutions to sustainable development interventions, including constructing vertical housing for displaced people, granting land ownership, and supporting the local economy. He stressed that the real solution begins with addressing the root causes of Yemen\u2019s crisis\u2014politically and economically.<\/p>\n
Jamal Al-Faqih, Coordinator of the Supreme Relief Committee, questioned the reasons behind the current humanitarian deterioration, despite the generous support Yemen received in the early stages of the crisis.<\/p>\n
Al-Faqih argued that poor coordination between international organizations and the legitimate and local authorities significantly contributed to this outcome, with many organizations still focusing on easily accessible areas and ignoring remote regions that suffer the highest levels of need.<\/p>\n
He called for adopting a decentralized approach to humanitarian work by establishing geographically distributed relief centers across governorates to ensure fairer and more effective aid distribution. He also criticized the sharp decline in the World Food Program\u2019s role, affirming that current rounds of cash and in-kind aid barely cover the minimum needs of families. Al-Faqih stressed the importance of shifting toward development and sustainable livelihoods, underlining the need to prioritize and coordinate efforts among humanitarian actors.<\/p>\n
Bushra Al-Waswas, an expert in humanitarian and development work, presented a strategic vision calling for a series of dialogue sessions to review the foundations of humanitarian intervention in Yemen.<\/p>\n
She emphasized the importance of adopting the \u201cTriple Nexus\u201d approach\u2014combining emergency aid, sustainable development projects, and peacebuilding\u2014as the most effective and comprehensive framework for addressing the crisis.<\/p>\n
Al-Waswas criticized the excessive reliance on food basket distribution, describing it as creating a \u201cdependent society.\u201d She called for a comprehensive review of these policies and advocated for localizing humanitarian work to reduce the high operational costs of international organizations and redirect these resources to serve the Yemeni people, who are mostly in a vulnerable state.<\/p>\n
She concluded by stressing that Yemeni society must lead advocacy efforts and defend its own causes, instead of relying entirely on international advocacy campaigns, which have not been as effective as hoped.<\/p>\n