The full amount of the required funds to the UN for the Yemen rarely get together. Due to Corona, the location this year is particularly bad: Only 15 percent of the funds required has been achieved so far. A donor conference can be a helper now breathe a sigh of relief.

Riyadh/New York (dpa) - just before the impending Of some of the main UN humanitarian programs in Yemen, donor countries have pledged the funds for the civil war country.

30 States announced on Tuesday the auxiliary funds in the amount of 1.35 billion dollars (1.21 billion euros) - that's a good half of the end of the year the necessary sum. "We cannot be satisfied with what we have achieved today. We must continue to make," said UN emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock at the end of the conference.

30 of 41 main utilities in the impoverished Arab country is threatened because of lack of money in a few weeks, already the From. "We've never had so little money for relief operations in the Yemen at this time of the year," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the launch of the video conference. The funds will also be used for measures to contain the Coronavirus in Yemen used.

for more than five years lasting civil war has plunged the country on the Arabian Peninsula in the most severe humanitarian crisis in the world. Four out of five people will need some Form of humanitarian assistance. This year alone, 110,000 people suffer from Cholera, and Malaria and Dengue fever. With the spread of the Coronavirus, the situation has deteriorated further. The life of the Yemenis hanging on by a thread, said Guterres.

The donor conference was organized by the United Nations, with Saudi Arabia, which bombed with the allies for five years, targets in Yemen. Saudi Arabia wants to push back the Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, and had overrun the Yemen 2014. Since the beginning of the bombing, more than 112.000 people were killed, including 12.600 civilians in targeted attacks.

Biggest donor is Saudi Arabia with assistance in the amount of $ 500 million, followed by the US ($225 million) and the UK (197 million dollars). Germany wants to make this year, funds in the amount of 125 million euros, as the state announced by Minister in the foreign office, Niels Annen,. The money should be for food, as well as the health and water supply used.

In a similar donor conference in Geneva came together in the last year, to 2.6 billion dollars. Also because the countries are wrestling with the implications of the Coronavirus, the willingness to donate this year. Before the conference information, only 15 percent of the 2020 required resources came together, according to UN.

In Yemen have been infected, according to official figures so far, about 350 people with the Coronavirus, about 80 people died from it. The Numbers are not very meaningful, because hardly will be tested and the rebels publish Numbers in the North no Corona. However, there are indications that the Corona-mortality rate in Yemen is one of the highest in the world, said Guterres.

OCHA for the Yemen donors ' conference