Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak announced on Sunday that 50% of the country’s children suffer from Chronic Malnutrition. This statement was made during an event in Aden to mark World Population Day, which was observed on July 11, according to Yemen’s official Saba news agency.
Prime Minister bin Mubarak emphasized that despite significant challenges and financial and economic pressures, his government’s vision focuses on investing in and improving the well-being of the population. He highlighted that 45% of Yemen’s population is under 16 years old and 65% are of working age. Alarmingly, 21% of Yemeni children are stunted as a result of malnutrition.
The Prime Minister stressed the urgency of these issues, calling for serious engagement, a high level of responsibility, and prioritizing these problems in all governmental plans, programs, and spending.
Bin Mubarak also pointed out the financial and economic pressures the government faces due to the ongoing conflict with the Houthi group. The war has deprived the Yemeni people of benefiting from their resources and has severely strained the country’s economy. Yemen, with a population of around 32 million, is largely dependent on humanitarian aid, as reported by previous UN assessments.
The economic crisis in Yemen has been further exacerbated by the cessation of oil exports since October 2022, following attacks by the Houthis on oil ports in government-controlled areas. Yemen has been experiencing a relative lull in a war that began nearly ten years ago between government forces, supported by a Saudi-led Arab military coalition, and Houthi forces, backed by Iran, who have controlled several provinces and the capital Sanaa since September 2014.
Prime Minister bin Mubarak’s statement highlights the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, with Chronic Malnutrition affecting half of the country’s children and significant portions of the population facing severe economic and developmental challenges.
More updates of Yemeni PM in his twitter account Ahmed A. BinMubarak
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