The Commission has announced €80 million in EU humanitarian funding for 2025 to support people in need in Yemen. Yemen continues to rank among the worst humanitarian crises in the world. One decade of conflict, economic deterioration and recurrent climate-induced events have left 19.5 million people in need. 

This humanitarian will target food and health services – including those focusing on malnutrition and epidemics – as well as water provision, sanitation and hygiene and education, among others.

The EU funding will be channelled through EU humanitarian partners, such as UN agencies and NGOs, actively providing relief to vulnerable communities affected by conflict, displacement, and climate emergencies among other challenges.

Humanitarian programmes will also ensure the provision of protection services, including mine clearance and mine risk education.

The announcement coincides with the seventh Senior Officials Meeting on Yemen, attended by Commissioner Hadja Lahbib in Brussels.

Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said: ‘For more than a decade, as a donor, the EU continued to stand in solidarity with the people of Yemen. These contributions helped saving lives, avert famine and provide relief and hope to those who are suffering. We cannot fail them now. Only by pursuing a stable pathway to peace, people in Yemen can have a dignified life and a better future.’

Background

Yemen continues to rank among the worst humanitarian crises in the world. One decade of conflict, economic deterioration and recurrent climate-induced events have left 19.5 million people, more than half of the population, in need of humanitarian assistance. Half of Yemen’s children – a staggering 2.4 million – are also malnourished.

Sudden unprecedented cuts to humanitarian funding also deeply impacted Yemen, forcing aid agencies to drastically reduce life-saving programming. Since the beginning of the war in 2015, the EU has contributed almost €1.6 billion to respond to the crisis in Yemen. This includes over €1 billion in humanitarian aid and nearly half a billion in development assistance and peacebuilding efforts. The European Commission is the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, European Member States are also large contributors.