[21/06/2026 02:38]

ADEN-SABA

Vice Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Nizar Basuhaib held talks on Sunday with officials from the Food and Agriculture Organization on strengthening joint efforts to tackle escalating food insecurity and malnutrition across Yemen.

The discussions brought together Basuhaib, FAO National Food Security and Agriculture Cluster Coordinator Abigail Nyokuri, and a team of specialists to assess current food security conditions, humanitarian response gaps and ongoing measures aimed at mitigating the impact of the country's food crisis on vulnerable populations.

During the meeting, Basuhaib described the nutrition situation as increasingly alarming, stressing that food and nutrition-related challenges require greater attention from UN agencies and international donors. He called for closer coordination among stakeholders and a stronger focus on interventions capable of delivering sustainable and measurable results.

He also underscored the importance of making the most effective use of available funding for food security and nutrition programs, noting that existing resources must be directed toward reducing shortfalls in humanitarian assistance. According to Basuhaib, a coordinated response involving the Food Security and Nutrition Clusters and other key partners is essential to preventing further deterioration and improving conditions for at-risk communities.

Nyokuri highlighted the scale of FAO's humanitarian activities during the first six months of the year, noting that approximately 1.8 million people benefited from the organization's assistance programs. She contrasted this with the previous year, when FAO interventions reached around 3.4 million beneficiaries.

She attributed much of the challenge facing humanitarian operations in Yemen to shrinking levels of international funding, emphasizing that reduced financial support has constrained response efforts despite growing needs.

Nyokuri reaffirmed FAO's commitment to working alongside the Yemeni government and humanitarian partners to expand food and agricultural assistance programs, strengthen resilience and improve livelihoods among the country's most vulnerable households.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold a broader coordination session later this week involving relevant government institutions, humanitarian clusters and partner organizations. The gathering is expected to establish a joint action plan to accelerate interventions aimed at addressing food shortages, enhancing food security and reducing malnutrition across affected communities.

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