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Unresponsiveness of Foreign Aid to Yemen’s Humanitarian Crisis
Abstract
Purpose Yemeni citizens have been unaffected by the international non-government organizations in recent years. Thus, Yemen’s overall humanitarian intervention has not been effective in alleviating the suffering of Yemen and is creating more dependability on foreign aid rather than Yemeni dependability through skills and labor. The current INGO approach deviates Yemenis from re-entering the public workforce. Introduction Yemen is now entering its seventh year of conflict and continues to be known as the world’s worst humanitarian conflict. With a collapsed economy and public infrastructure, Yemen desperately needs a new approach of aid intervention that prioritizes development rather than urgent intervention. Yemen’s economy today stems from years of mismanagement and limited resources, alongside weak state institutions and conflict. Nonetheless, the economic fallout is the central reason why the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen in the country. International aid will not be effective until it supports state institutions through re-building livelihoods of Yemenis to become dependent on themselves rather than foreign INGOs. The staggering growing needs in Yemen is reflective of a declining economy with a spiral downward trend, and despite how much aid is being pledged to the country, it will never be able to catch up. Hunger is driven by lack of purchasing power, but the country does not lack food commodities. Reports show that Yemen’s inflation rate of 24%, making it impossible to survive. This, coupled with loss of jobs of at least 60%, becomes catastrophic. Therefore, a unified approach towards public and job reconstruction is crucial to rebuilding Yemen’s public sector. Methodology Approach Review of literature, studies and statistical reports published by international aid organizations economic experts. Conclusion Due to the challenges in delivering urgent aid, including risk of safety of staff and pressured conditions, priority should be shifted to capacity building and job recovery. INGOs and aid agencies should create a path to rebuilding Yemen’s economic institutions, Central Bank of Yemen, and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.
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