Canada’s government reassured that it remains committed to providing financial support and humanitarian assistance to Yemeni people. Prime minister confirmed that his country is ready to provide $12 million to Yemeni humanitarian organisations that are saving lives.
The Canadian government continues to provide new humanitarian funding to respond to the needs of conflict-affected Yemeni people. on Friday, the government announced another $12.1-million instalment, which aimed at the strengthening of humanitarian support to Yemeni people in need.
With the recent multimillion instalment, Canadian total humanitarian assistance for Yemen reached $65-million since March 2017. A senior government official indicated more funding could be announced for the poor Middle Eastern country this year.
According to Marie-Claude Bibeau, the International Development Minister office’s head, the new assistance will be spread among several UN agencies in addition to the Red Cross to “help save lives, alleviate suffering . . . and address the particular needs of women and girls.”
Canadian financial support to Yemen: 2015-2018
Since 2015, a Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen against Iranian-allied rebels. The recent years made the Yemeni population even poorer, 8.4 million people of the country’s 29 million citizens are on the brink of famine. Thus, the lion part of the new Canadian funding (CAD 6.5-million) – will go to the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide emergency food supplies, such as flour, salt and sugar, to the most vulnerable people across Yemen.
According to local WFP, more than three-quarters of the Yemeni population is in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. The International Committee of the Red Cross will receive $2.5-million to repair water systems, provide food supplements and support health-care facilities in Yemen.
A cholera outbreak has infected one million people, further straining Yemen’s already devastated health-care system. Canada will also provide $1.15-million to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to help administer its Yemen humanitarian fund.
