Malnutrition Crisis in Yemen is Increasing in Government Areas
Noriko Watanabe and Sawako Utsumi
Modern Tokyo Times
Malnutrition is increasing in parts of Yemen controlled by the government. This notably concerns the Red Sea coastal area.
Gulf monarchies are wealthy – this concerns the exploitation of energy by Western technology. Hence, the nations of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other Gulf states attract migrants from all over the world.
Despite this, the nation of Yemen has been blighted by war since 2015. This war – sectarian and geopolitical – pits the Saudi Arabia-led alliance (with the United Arab Emirates playing an important role) against Iran.
Accordingly, despite Yemen sharing a border with Oman and Saudi Arabia, the quality of life for many Yemenis is a million miles away.
Reuters reports, “The number of children in Yemen under the age of five suffering acute malnutrition, or wasting, has risen by 34% compared with the previous year across government-controlled areas, the report said. This equated to some 600,000 children, including 120,000 who were severely malnourished.”
Diseases like cholera and malaria – along with high levels of food insecurity and limited safe water for drinking – are collectively making the crisis spiral.
UN News reports, “For the first time, the most severe level of malnutrition – extremely critical acute malnutrition – was reported in two districts in the southern lowlands of Hudaydah governorate (Al Khawkhah and Hays), and another in Taiz (Al Makha).”
Lee Jay Walker says, “NATO powers have made vast riches since the conflict broke out. This is based on supplying military arms. For example, the UK signed military contracts worth billions of pounds with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. America, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have also made lucrative contracts with nations involved in the Yemen conflict. Therefore, NATO powers are responsible – along with Gulf powers and Iran – for the deaths of so many Yemenis who are caught up in a geopolitical, regional, and sectarian conflict that thrives on endless military sales by the nations mentioned.”
Child soldiers are another grim reality in Yemen. The Associated Press reports, “U.N. experts said in a new report that nearly 2,000 children recruited by Yemen’s Houthi rebels died on the battlefield between January 2020 and May 2021, and the Iranian-backed rebels continue to hold camps and courses encouraging youngsters to fight.”
Until regional players put the people of Yemen first and implement a genuine compromise to stabilize the nation, little will change for the poorest in society.
Pierre Honnorat (World Food Programme director in Yemen) uttered, “It is critical to step up support to the most vulnerable who could sink deeper into food insecurity and malnutrition if current low levels of humanitarian funding persist.”
Iran also needs to stem its intrigues that are aimed at distant nations.
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