Donors, through UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, provided cumulative funding to Yemen aid exceeding $29 billion since 2015, supporting key sectors such as food security, healthcare, water, education, and shelter, according to a recent report published by The Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC).
In addition to UN-coordinated funding, Yemen also received direct humanitarian and development assistance outside this framework from countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the United States of America, Turkey, Qatar, and others. This assistance came in the form of direct support for relief programs, medical aid, fuel derivatives, and infrastructure development.
Nevertheless, recent years have seen a concerning decline in donor commitments, both within and outside the UN framework, especially in 2025, which recorded the lowest funding coverage for the 2025 UN Humanitarian Response Plan, in Yemen, in over a decade, with only 9% of needs met by May.
This reflects the significant funding challenges facing the humanitarian system in Yemen and puts the fate of millions in need in jeopardy.
This decline came at a highly sensitive moment, as Yemen entered 2025 with alarming statistics: more than 19.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The consequences were not limited to the humanitarian domain; they also extended to the national economy, which is undergoing near-total collapse. Yemen has lost approximately $90 billion in GDP since the start of the war in 2015, and over 600,000 people have lost their jobs. About 58% of the population live in extreme poverty.
The reduction in international funding has affected aid operations across various sectors. Vital programs in food, health, water, education, and protection have been suspended. Dozens of local and international organizations have been impacted, leading to the dismissal of hundreds of humanitarian workers and the deprivation of millions from essential services. Partner organizations, including those led by women, face the risk of complete shutdown due to lack of funding, threatening the community-based support systems for vulnerable groups.