- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Concern grows over Yemen's humanitarian situation
- Date: 22nd March 2012
- Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (MARCH 21, 2012) (REUTERS) FLAGS OF GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRIES DELEGATES AT GCC HEADQUARTERS MEETING IN PROGRESS GCC ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR NEGOTIATIONS AND STRATEGIC DIALOGUE, ABDULAZIZ AL-UWAISHEQ, ADDRESSING THE MEETING GCC DELEGATES LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR YEMEN, JENS TOYBERG-FRANDZEN, SAYING: "Now one-fifth of the country's population, or five million people, is in urgent need of food aid. Rural areas were particularly affected with food price increases of more than of 45 percent recorded in June 2011." U.N. DELEGATES LISTENING DELEGATES LEAVING THE MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF THE EXECUTIVE UNIT FOR IDP CAMPS, AHMED AL-KHOLANI, SAYING: "We should not link the humanitarian situation with the security situation. It's true that we do not allow international organisations to go to dangerous areas, but there is mechanism for delivering aid to these areas, so as to avoid the displacement of all the people in these areas." GCC OFFICIAL CLOSING MEETING ROOM DOOR
- Embargoed: 6th April 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA9O6N8NJC88JKXOO36WSHJYZQJ
- Story Text: A meeting to discuss the humanitarian situation in Yemen was held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Wednesday (March 21).
Officials from several international organisations and countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) took part in the meeting.
U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen Jens Toyberg-Frandzen said food aid was urgently needed in the country.
"Now one-fifth of the country's population, or five million people, is in urgent need of food aid. Rural areas were particularly affected with food price increases of more than of 45 percent recorded in June 2011," Toyberg-Frandzen told the gathering.
Months of protests against ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh brought Yemen's economy close to a collapse, worsening already dire living conditions for many people who face acute shortages of fuel, food, water and electricity.
Yemen is also coping with a growing influx of refugees from the Horn of Africa to its southern coast and a host of Yemenis forced to flee their homes by fighting in the south and the north.
Delivering supplies to areas of conflict continues to be a challenge, but is necessary to help alleviate humanitarian suffering, officials say.
"We should not link the humanitarian situation with the security situation. It's true that we do not allow international organisations to go to dangerous areas, but there is mechanism for delivering aid to these areas, so as to avoid the displacement of all the people in these areas," said Ahmed al-Kholani, who heads a unit for Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps.
Relief agencies say the country -- one of the poorest in the region -- will need substantial humanitarian assistance over the next three to five years, especially for food, health care, sanitation and clean water. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None