The following statement was issued by National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price.
The
United States today announced over $89 million in new humanitarian aid
to help people affected by the ongoing conflict in Yemen, where
escalating violence has left 80
percent of the country’s population in need of urgent aid. This new
funding will provide emergency food assistance, safe drinking water,
improved sanitation, emergency shelter, life-saving medical care,
nutrition services, and protection for vulnerable populations.
It includes nearly $32 million in food assistance. This latest
commitment brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for this crisis
to nearly $170 million in fiscal year 2015. The United States provided
nearly $114 million in fiscal year 2014, and we remain
the largest donor of food assistance to Yemen.
This
announcement comes as nearly 13 million people in Yemen are facing food
shortages, and if current conditions persist, more will struggle to
meet their food needs over
the coming months. Across the country, 1.8 million children are likely
to suffer from some form of malnutrition in 2015 — 1 million more
children than last year.
U.S.
assistance will be delivered by our implementing partners through
Yemen's sea and airports and through distribution networks inside the
country. King Salman of Saudi
Arabia this month at the White House committed to work with the
Coalition and international partners to allow for unfettered access to
assistance, including fuel, to the impacted people of Yemen. King Salman
also committed to enabling the reopening of Yemen's
Red Sea ports to humanitarian and commercial traffic; this will be one
critical element of restoring the vital imports that provide the bulk of
the country's food, fuel, and other life-sustaining supplies.
Consistent with these commitments, we look forward
to all parties allowing unfettered access to Yemen's ports and
airports, respecting the neutrality of humanitarian workers, and
allowing them to travel safely in all parts of the country and cross
battle-lines in order to meet the urgent needs of the Yemeni
people.
The
United States continues to support efforts by United Nations Special
Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed to bring together Yemenis to de-escalate
the conflict, which will
also significantly help the humanitarian situation. We were
disappointed by recent statements that suggested that UN-facilitated
peace talks might be delayed. It is clear that the Yemeni people want
the fighting to end as soon as possible. Consistent with
the Security Council’s statement last week, we again call on all
parties to participate in these peace talks without any preconditions.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
No comments:
Post a Comment