Mitgliederbereich
Yemen is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. If Germany scales back its international engagement there, the catastrophic conditions could worsen even further. In this interview, Abdul Jemaal, Director of the Tamdeen Youth Foundation, talks about the devastating consequences if Germany were to cut its financial support by half, and about the new humanitarian strategy that the German government recently presented to the public.
Abdul Jemaal, the German government plans to reduce its global humanitarian aid to around one billion euros, which is half of what was available this year. If Germany were to cut its support for Yemen in half, what consequences would that have?
Reducing German support for Yemen to half would have catastrophic repercussions on the already dire humanitarian situation. Yemen is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis, and such a cut would be devastating to efforts to alleviate suffering. This is expected to lead to: The deterioration of the health situation, which will directly affect the ability to provide basic health services, leading to disease outbreaks, high mortality rates, and deteriorating maternal and child health. In addition, this exacerbates malnutrition and hunger, especially among children as well as pregnant and lactating women, and increases unemployment and poverty rates. The lack of funding will also affect the ability of humanitarian organizations to repair and rehabilitate war-damaged infrastructure, exacerbating human suffering.
The budget cuts are supposed to be offset by increased efficiency. How realistic do you think this is?
The Yemeni crisis is complex and multifaceted and requires comprehensive solutions that go beyond simply increasing efficiency. Humanitarian organizations in Yemen face many challenges that limit their ability to operate efficiently, such as ongoing conflicts, bureaucracy, and lack of access to affected areas. Even with increased efficiency, additional financial resources will still be needed to meet growing needs.
Germany wants to strengthen its diplomatic efforts to make it easier for humanitarian organizations to work in crisis areas. Where do you see the greatest need for action in Yemen in this regard?
The largest need for diplomatic action in Yemen is to put pressure on the warring parties to cease fire, facilitate bureaucratic procedures to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all affected areas, and protect civilians. Diplomats should also work to build trust between the conflicting parties and encourage political dialog to reach a political solution to the crisis.
Germany’s humanitarian aid will increasingly be aligned with its security interests. Do you see this as a threat to the work of aid organizations in Yemen?
Tying humanitarian aid to security could lead to restricted access to areas which are considered to be unsecured, depriving civilians of much-needed assistance. Tying aid to security also erodes trust between humanitarian organizations and local communities, hindering their ability to reach those in need.
If you had the opportunity, what sentence would you add to the new strategy?
Prioritize local leadership and local partnerships for sustainable impact. Local leadership and civil society organizations must be empowered and actively involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of all phases of the humanitarian response. Strong partnerships with local organizations that enjoy the trust of the community ensure sustainability of efforts and meet the actual needs of affected communities.
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