By IANS,
Sa’ada (Yemen) : The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has begun distributing emergency rations to thousands of people displaced by the latest upsurge of fighting in northwest Yemen, WAM news agency reported Saturday.
The five-year conflict in Sa’ada has forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
WFP provided high-energy biscuits and dates to 7,000 people in Hajjah governorate last week and Friday began distributing a full one-month ration of cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, salt and sugar to 10,000 people.
“WFP responded rapidly to this sudden crisis, providing life-saving assistance to thousands of homeless and hungry people who are reliant on our help,” said Gian Carlo Cirri, WFP Country Director in Yemen.
“But we are very short of funds for our operations, especially now that the situation is deteriorating and the needs are increasing,” he added.
In July, a shortage of funds forced WFP to halve its rations to 95,000 war-affected people, many of whom depend entirely on food assistance.
WFP is facing a shortfall of $20 million or 36 percent of its total needs for 2009.