WFP / YEMEN BEASLEY

The Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme(WFP) issued an urgent plea for peace in Yemen and called for funding to help the most vulnerable hungry families as he wrapped up a two-day visit to the country where the worst famine the world has seen in modern history is now looming. WFP

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:59
• Production Date: 10 March 2021
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: DAVID BEASLEY
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: CONFLICT SITUATION; FOOD SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 2606740
• Parent Id: 2606740
• Alternate Title: unifeed210310b

Description

STORY: WFP / YEMEN BEASLEY
TRT: 02:59
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WFP ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: FEBRUARY – MARCH 2021 / SEPTEMBER 2020, ADEN / SANA’A, YEMEN

Shotlist

28 FEBRUARY 2021, ADEN, YEMEN

1. Various shots, drone footage of destruction in Aden (No Sound).

04 MARCH 2021, ADEN, YEMEN

2. Wide shot, children playing among war damaged buildings

07 MARCH 2021, ADEN, YEMEN

3. Various shots, Ammar Bin Yasser camp for internally displaced people (IDPs)

28 FEBRUARY 2021, SANA’A, YEMEN

4. Various shots, fuel queue and closed petrol station.

09 MARCH 2021, SANA’A, YEMEN

5. Various shots, Executive Director David Beasley visiting malnourished children at Al Sabeen Hospital
6. SOUNDBITE (English) David Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP):
“After 6 years of war and tremendous economic deterioration, lack of money, lack of resources. I’m standing here in this hospital room where this child, literally is on the verge of death, because they don’t have food, they don’t’ have the equipment medically and otherwise to take care. And so, we’ve got millions of children whose lives are at risk in fact 400,000 children are at risk of dying right now. We need this war to end and we need support financially, food, nutrition, medical supplies and we need it now. It’s a horrible situation. It’s a disgrace on humanity what’s happening here.”

08 MARCH 2021, SANA’A, YEMEN

7. Various shots, WFP’s Biometric registration programme

10 SEPTEMBER 2020, SANA’A, YEMEN

8. Various shots, WFP food distribution in Sana’a.
9. Various shots, Arafat and his family eating

Storyline

The Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme(WFP) on Tuesday (9 Mar) issued an urgent plea for peace in Yemen and called for funding to help the most vulnerable hungry families as he wrapped up a two-day visit to the country where the worst famine the world has seen in modern history is now looming.

After visiting malnourished children at Al Sabeen Hospital in Sana’a, WFP Executive Director David Beasley said, “after 6 years of war and tremendous economic deterioration, lack of money, lack of resources. I’m standing here in this hospital room where this child, literally is on the verge of death, because they don’t have food, they don’t’ have the equipment medically and otherwise to take care. And so, we’ve got millions of children whose lives are at risk in fact 400,000 children are at risk of dying right now. We need this war to end and we need support financially, food, nutrition, medical supplies and we need it now. It’s a horrible situation. It’s a disgrace on humanity what’s happening here.”

At the hospital Beasley met 2-year-old Sultan, a little boy treated by WFP for malnutrition. Half of all children under five in Yemen – 2.3 million – are projected to face acute malnutrition this year, with nearly 400,000 suffering from severe acute malnutrition and likely to die if they do not get urgent treatment.

Beasley also saw the progress of WFP’s biometric registration programme, making sure food assistance is delivered in an accountable and transparent way.

Right now, humanitarian food assistance is the first line defence against spiralling hunger in Yemen, where over 16 million people are food insecure. Nearly 50,000 people are already facing famine-like conditions (IPC 5) and a further 5 million people are only one step away (IPC 4).

WFP is looking at all options to scale up assistance to meet the growing needs and avert a devastating famine. WFP is already prioritising monthly assistance to 11 districts with populations in famine-like conditions in a bid to save lives and prevent further decline. But more needs to be done for millions who are at risk of slipping further into hunger as conflict and displacement, crippling fuel shortages, and rising food prices makes life harder each day.

Fourteen vessels carrying fuel are currently being held off Yemen’s Red Sea coast unable to berth. None have entered Al Hodeidah port since 3 January 2021. With fuel reserves nearing empty, hospitals have been left without power and the commercial sector struggling to transport food and basic goods. This is forcing people to turn to the black market where prices are up to three times higher than the official rate, all contributing to food prices that are climbing well out of reach for millions.

WFP’s operation remains critically underfunded and the agency’s ability to maintain this level of response hangs in the balance. Only with predictable and sustained funding can WFP define a realistic implementation plan that meets the needs of the most vulnerable – and avert a devastating famine. WFP needs US$1.9 billion to save lives and provide food assistance in 2021.