Half of Yemeni children suffer from chronic malnutrition: PM

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak has announced that 50 percent of the country's children suffer from chronic malnutrition.

He made the statement on Sunday during an event in Aden to mark World Population Day, which fell on July 11, according to Yemen’s official Saba news agency.

Bin Mubarak emphasised that his government's vision focuses on people as the most important resource to be invested in and improved through dedicated services and programs, despite the significant challenges and financial and economic pressures the country faces.

He said among the challenges the government is facing is that 45 percent of the population is under 16 years old and 65 percent are of working age, while 50 percent of the country’s children suffer from chronic malnutrition and 21 percent are stunted as a result.

Bin Mubarak said the seriousness of these figures necessitates serious engagement, a high level of responsibility and prioritising them in all plans, programs and spending.

Economic crisis

He also noted the financial and economic pressures facing the government in dealing with these challenges due to the ongoing war with the Houthi group.

Yemen's population is around 32 million, most of whom need humanitarian aid, according to previous UN reports.

For more than two years, Yemen has been experiencing a lull in a war that began nearly 10 years ago between government forces supported by a Saudi-led Arab military coalition and Houthi forces backed by Iran, who have controlled provinces and cities including the capital Sanaa since September 2014.