US announces $25 million to support Yemeni people
The US announced $25 million in additional aid
to support the people of Yemen through the UNICEF-implemented Emergency Cash
Transfer (ECT) program.
This funding complements more than $2.2
billion in U.S. humanitarian assistance since 2015 and will help 1.5 million
Yemeni households – approximately 9 million people – access basic goods and
services on the local economy, Reliefweb reported.
The ECT program is based on Yemen’s Social
Welfare Fund (SWF), which provided critical support to vulnerable households
throughout Yemen before the start of the conflict.
The United States has supported the
implementation of the ECT program since its launch in 2017 to prevent
vulnerable populations from descending further into poverty and to maintain
this social protection mechanism. U.S. funding will ensure beneficiary households
receive uninterrupted assistance through June 2020.
The United States remains one of the largest
donors of humanitarian assistance to the Yemen crisis; however, no amount of
humanitarian or development assistance will end this conflict and the suffering
of millions.
An enduring solution to the Yemen conflict
will only come through a comprehensive political agreement.
This funding will ensure that when the parties
reach an agreement, Yemeni institutions stand ready to support their citizens
as they work toward a secure and prosperous future for their country.
