The United Nations has issued an urgent call for $1.42 billion in funding to continue providing critical humanitarian aid to 8.8 million people in Yemen through the end of 2025.
The appeal, announced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is part of a scaled effort to maintain essential life-saving services in what remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies. The funding will help support food assistance, health services, clean water, shelter, and protection for the most vulnerable communities across the conflict-ravaged country.
According to OCHA, the $1.42 billion is a targeted supplement to the broader 2025 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, which seeks a total of $2.47 billion to reach 10.5 million people. That plan, initially launched in February 2024, aimed to raise $4 billion to address the needs of more than 18 million Yemenis. However, amid growing global funding shortfalls, humanitarian agencies have been forced to scale back operations and focus resources on the most urgent priorities.
“This appeal represents the minimum required to prevent a worsening of Yemen’s humanitarian crisis,” said a spokesperson for OCHA. “Without this funding, millions could face increased risks of hunger, disease, displacement, and death.”
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2015, when fighting between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition escalated, causing widespread destruction and economic collapse. The resulting humanitarian crisis has left over two-thirds of the population in need of assistance, according to UN estimates.
Although there have been signs of de-escalation in recent months, including renewed dialogue between regional powers, humanitarian conditions remain dire. Malnutrition rates among children are among the highest in the world, and the country’s health system is severely under-resourced.
UN agencies warn that without immediate funding, critical programs—including food distribution, maternal and child healthcare, and access to clean water—could be cut back or halted altogether. The appeal comes as donor fatigue and competing global crises continue to strain international aid budgets.
OCHA is calling on international donors to respond swiftly to help sustain relief operations in Yemen and avoid a deepening catastrophe in 2025.
