UN humanitarian chief warns of Yemen worsening hunger amid funding shortages

UNITED NATIONS, June 16– The hunger crisis in Yemen is worsening sharply, with the share of people unable to meet basic food needs rising from about half to nearly 60 percent within a month, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned on Tuesday, calling for urgent funding to prevent further deterioration.

The number of Yemenis facing the most severe levels of deprivation has increased from one in four to nearly one in three. More than 18 million people — over half of the country’s population — are now experiencing acute hunger, Fletcher told the UN Security Council during a briefing.