Yemen discusses with FAO coordinator ways to cover the food security funding gap for 2026.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arabian Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups: The Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Nizar Basohaib, discussed today in the temporary capital, Aden, with the National Coordinator of the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Abigail Newkori, ways to address the severe shortage in funding for food security programs for the year 2026, and to develop mechanisms to compensate the most needy groups affected by the reduction or cessation of humanitarian aid. The meeting addressed the repercussions of the expected decline in support from some international donors for humanitarian and development programs, especially in the food sector, in light of the escalating economic challenges facing the country. Practical proposals were also reviewed to enhance the efficiency of expanding cash transfer programs and supporting food and livelihood projects to confront the growing risks of hunger and poverty. The two sides agreed to hold an urgent meeting during this week, including the Ministry of Planning, national bodies, organizations, and clusters concerned with food security, with the aim of coordinating efforts to address funding gaps through alternative sources, monitoring food security indicators in the liberated governorates, and jointly preparing to participate in the international conference to confront food security in Yemen, which is organized by the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf next October. Dr. Basohaib affirmed that food insecurity and declining funding threaten to deprive thousands of Yemeni families of basic assistance, pointing out that the food crisis is accompanied by several livelihood and social crises, which calls for urgent action to mobilize funding and ensure the continuity of life-saving programs. He called for the implementation of emergency interventions and livelihood improvement projects to compensate the affected groups as a result of the funding shortage or to adjust targeting mechanisms towards the areas most in need. For her part, the National Coordinator of the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FAO) stressed the organization's keenness to continue the effective partnership with the Yemeni government and to work to mobilize regional and international support to cover the funding gap and direct resources towards priority sectors and groups. During the same day, Basohaib also discussed with the Head of the National Network for Advocating Disability Rights, Dr. Al-Rumaisa Yaqoub, ways of joint coordination to enable associations and networks concerned with people with special needs to benefit from international cooperation programs provided by international and donor organizations, stressing the Ministry's keenness to support national and community initiatives in the fields of rehabilitation, training, and empowerment, and to expand the base of beneficiaries of development and humanitarian projects to ensure the integration of this group into society and improve their conditions.