Aden (South24) 

United Nations (UN) spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said yesterday that 18 million people in Yemen, more than half of the population, are in need of humanitarian aid.

“Yemen suffers from one of the highest rates of malnutrition ever recorded,” Dujarric said in a press conference. “We reiterate the call to support the country’s humanitarian response plan," he added.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that about 12.4 million people lack adequate access to safe drinking water, increasing the risk of infectious diseases, while more than 4.5 million children remain out of school and missing out on educational opportunities.

Last week, the UN launched a review of the humanitarian needs for the current year and the response plan for Yemen, which requires raising $2.7 billion to support 11 million people. This year’s response plan hopes to shift away from dependence on aid and toward cooperation with development partners.

Concerns about the humanitarian situation in Yemen are intensifying as the war approaches its ninth year in the country and new layers of political, security, and economic complexities emerge from the crisis.

The Yemeni government has warned that the escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden will exacerbate the economic burdens and increase food prices in Yemeni markets, as a result of high shipping and insurance costs for Yemeni ports.