War on Ukraine reducing Yemen’s access to food

Originally posted to The Middle East Monitor website, 11 March 2022

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) yesterday warned that the war in Ukraine could reduce Yemenis’ access to their basic needs due to the possible increase in food prices.

“In a country where food insecurity is already threatening over 16.2 million people, the severity of food and water needs is dangerously acute in Taiz and other nearby areas highly impacted by ongoing violence,” the ICRC said in a report on its official website.

The report warned that the escalation of conflict in Ukraine is likely to further reduce the Yemeni people’s access to their basic needs as it is likely to raise food prices, in particular the cost of grains, at a time when fuel prices rise around the world.

On 24 February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, which led to the imposition of “tough” economic and financial sanctions on Moscow.

This has led to worries about the Middle East’s ability to access wheat as most of its stock comes from Ukraine and Russia.

This situation is exacerbating an already dire state in Yemen where food prices have skyrocketed as a result of the eight-year war and a blockade placed on the main port of Hudaydah by the Saudi-led coalition. More than half of Yemen’s population is in need of food assistance as a result, the ICRC report said.

The report quoted the head of the ICRC’s delegation in Yemen, Katharina Ritz, as saying: “The severity of needs is deepening by the minute. Today 14.3 million people are in acute need, which is 27% higher than last year.”

“As the humanitarian situation deteriorates, scaling back assistance will be a serious issue for millions of families across Yemen,” Ritz added.

She warned that any further reduction in funding will have a direct impact on people’s lives and the charity’s ability to provide them with life-saving sustainable assistance.

War on Ukraine reducing Yemen's access to food