The humanitarian crisis in Yemen, already the world's worst, will deteriorate in 2019, the UN said Tuesday (December 4th), warning that the number of people needing food aid is set to jump by four million, AFP reported.
The grim forecast for the embattled country came as the UN humanitarian office OCHA released its projected needs assessments for next year.
"The country with the biggest problem in 2019 is going to be Yemen," OCHA chief Mark Lowcock told reporters in Geneva.
He said that in 2017, the UN was providing food assistance to three million people a month.
That figure rose to eight million per month this year and is expected to hit 12 million in 2019, Lowcock added.
Lowcock said the UN is asking for $4 billion to help suffering Yemenis next year.
Overall, 24 million people in Yemen -- roughly 75% of the population -- will need humanitarian assistance in 2019.
Lowcock noted that the government will also need additional budget support from other countries to pay salaries and pensions in order to contain wider suffering.
He indicated that some of Yemen's allies in the Gulf, notably Saudi Arabia have committed to continue helping finance the government.
