The UN humanitarian co-ordinator in Yemen warned Tuesday (February 21st) that seven million Yemenis are closer than ever to starvation, AFP reported.
"Seven million Yemenis do not know where their next meal will come from and are ever closer to starvation" in a country of 27 million people, Jamie McGoldrick said.
"Over 17 million people are currently unable to adequately feed themselves and are frequently forced to skip meals -- women and girls eat the least and last," he said in a statement.
McGoldrick also expressed concern about the escalation of violence along Yemen's western coast.
"It is coming at a great cost to civilians," he said, noting that it has reduced "even further the number of ships and imports" vital for Yemen's food supplies that can arrive at al-Hodeida port.
"Given that the country is 80 to 90% dependent on imported food staples, I am compelled to raise the alarm," the UN official said.
"If left unabated, these factors combined could accelerate the onset of famine."
Also on Tuesday, UNICEF warned that 462,000 children were suffering from acute malnutrition .
