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UN to Saudis: ‘Stop War in Yemen, Fund 100% of Humanitarian Aid’

UN to Saudis: ‘Stop War in Yemen, Fund 100% of Humanitarian Aid’
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Local Editor

Forsaking the UN's customary diplomatic stance, a leading official directly blamed the Saudi-led coalition for Yemen's devastating humanitarian crisis.

UN to Saudis: ‘Stop War in Yemen, Fund 100% of Humanitarian Aid’

Urging Riyadh to fund aid and stop the conflict, which has raged since 2015, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, David Beasley, told Reuters that "Saudi Arabia should fund 100 percent of the needs of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen."

"Either stop the war or fund the crisis. Option three is, do both of them."

With assistance from the US vessels, Saudi Arabia imposed a naval blockade, as well as shutting key airports. According to a joint statement from several leading UN agencies in July, 60 percent of Yemen's 27 million people are suffering from food insecurity, while 2 million children are acutely malnourished.

Particularly problematic is control over the port of Hodeidah, which was previously responsible for 80 percent of all food imports into the water-scarce country.

"We are having problems with access," said Beasley.

"The Saudis have created serious complications for us because of the port being blockaded to a certain degree, and the destroying of the cranes at Hodeidah port... That has substantially reduced our capacity to bring food in."

The airspace and naval blockade has not only caused food and water shortages but also resulted in gravely ill patients being denied urgent treatment overseas.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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