UN humanitarian chief says danger of ‘big famine’ in Yemen
CAMEROON, Cameroon — The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Tuesday that “there is a clear and present danger of an imminent and great big famine engulfing Yemen.”
Mark Lowcock told the Security Council that this famine would be “much bigger than anything any professional in this field has seen during their working lives.”
He said “the situation is now much graver” than when he warned of famine in Yemen at the beginning of 2017 and again last November. That is because “of the sheer number of people at risk,” he said.
Lowcock said the U.N. now thinks last month’s estimate that 11 million people could soon face “pre-famine conditions” and need aid to survive was wrong, and the number is actually 14 million — half of Yemen’s population.