(CNSNews.com) – On Feb. 27, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States would be providing $444 million in “additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Yemen,” raising the total value of assistance given to $5.4 billion since civil strife started there in 2014.
“The United States’ commitment to alleviating the suffering of millions from the world’s worst humanitarian crisis remains resolute,” said the State Department in a Feb. 27 press release.
This latest installment of aid will be provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).
According to a fact sheet from USAID, this latest installment will “enable USG partners to support the continued delivery of food, health, nutrition, protection, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) assistance, as well as humanitarian coordination and information management services to bolster response efforts throughout the country.”
The State Department makes it clear that this “humanitarian assistance must also be complemented by economic and development support.”
In addition, the department calls upon “all donors to give generously to help raise the $4.3 billion the UN will require to provide humanitarian assistance to Yemenis.”
Yemen is currently “experiencing the best opportunities for peace in years,” as the “momentum from the UN-mediated truce” has granted the parties a chance to end this war, said the State Department.
Since the ongoing crisis began in 2014, the United States has become one of the largest donors of aid and assistance in the world.
In 2014, Shiite Muslims overthrew the Sunni-led government, which led to sanctions by Saudi Arabia and several Gulf states supported by the United States. Iran has been aiding the Shiites. According to the U.N., about 233,000 Yemenis have died in the conflict, 131,000 of them because of “food insecurity and lack of access health services.” Apparently, 5 million Yemenis are at risk of famine.