WFP Scales Up Food Aid in Yemen’s Famine Hotspots

GENEVA - The U.N. World Food Program says it is scaling up assistance for millions of people on the verge of famine in parts of Yemen.

More than 24 million people or 80 percent of Yemen’s population need humanitarian assistance. The World Food Program is already supporting nearly 13 million people with emergency food aid. However, not all beneficiaries receive equal treatment. Because the agency is running low on cash, it is forced to prioritize areas with the highest rates of food insecurity. Consequently, it says it is expanding food assistance in Yemen’s worst hunger hotspots, which are in greatest need. WFP spokesman Tomson Phiri says the aim is to prevent the most vulnerable from slipping into famine conditions.