LETTER: The economic crisis in war-torn Yemen is witnessed by the world, with no action to resolve the biggest human catastrophe on earth now.
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called on the world to provide financial assistance to resolve the severe economic crisis in Yemen, worsened by a neighbouring country's aggression.
Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating war on Yemen in March 2015, in an unsuccessful attempt to suppress an uprising that had toppled a Riyadh-friendly regime.
The second anniversary of the Stockholm Agreement between Yemen's Houthis and Riyadh-sponsored loyalists to the former regime of Yemen was a failure. Since the 2018 agreement which was a diplomatic breakthrough aimed at bringing an end to the conflict in Yemen, the profound suffering of the Yemeni people has persisted.
Pockets of famine-like conditions have returned in Yemen and millions are facing severe, growing food insecurity, in particular against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The reality on the ground shows the conflict has exacerbated the dire situation in Yemen.
Regrettably, dialogue between the Yemeni parties to agree on a nationwide ceasefire, and economic and humanitarian confidence-building is ignored. Measures to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people are failing.
The resumption of an inclusive political process for a comprehensive negotiated settlement to end the conflict does not seem to be the interest of the parties concerned.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO) has raised the alarm about millions of Yemenis risking falling into worsening levels of hunger by mid-2021. Famine is imminent with five million Yemenis expected to die if the war is not stopped.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) also described the crisis in Yemen as "the world's worst humanitarian crisis", and warned against the continuation of the protracted conflict.
The world must act now lest the Yemen crisis remains the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Millions are trapped in a cycle of conflict and hunger. Everyday life in Yemen gets harder for millions as the window to prevent famine narrows.
Earlier this month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) offered the staggering death toll of 233,000, stressing the importance of a ceasefire.
The United Nations must halt the assault and atrocities against the entire nation of Yemen, which is facing an all-out aerial, naval, and land blockade since 2015.
The war has taken a heavy toll on Yemen's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN says over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million people suffering from extreme levels of hunger.
We condemn the continuous bombardment on Yemen and call for a complete ceasefire and resumption of comprehensive negotiation.
MOHD AZMI ABDUL HAMID
President MAPIM
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
