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Al-Zawari: Society Faces a Grave Humanitarian Challenge… and 600,000 Food Baskets to Alleviate the Suffering
Jul 06, 2025
His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Zawari, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, affirmed that society is now living in a state of extreme poverty, with the overwhelming majority of citizens falling into the "crushed class" that urgently needs social assistance. He pointed out that the country is going through a dangerously critical economic and humanitarian situation.
This came during the minister's speech this morning in the capital, Aden, at the inauguration of the coordination workshop for the project to distribute 600,000 food baskets, funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) and implemented in partnership with the Yemeni Foundation for Development and the Al-Khair Coalition.
The minister explained that the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, led by OCHA, aims to raise no less than $2 billion to fill the funding gap for humanitarian aid. However, only about 11%, equivalent to $275 million, has been raised, in addition to $45 million from other entities—reflecting the scale of the challenge and confirming that the humanitarian situation is likely to deteriorate further.
Al-Zawari added that more than 20 million citizens live below the poverty line, while 7 million more face the threat of famine, amid the continued decline of the national currency and the collapse of economic conditions. He noted that the suffering in the southern and liberated governorates is even more severe compared to areas under the control of the terrorist Houthi militias.
His Excellency emphasized the importance of effective coordination between Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor offices, local authorities, and security leadership in the targeted governorates to ensure aid reaches those in need and to avoid any issues or duplication in distribution.
The minister also called for strengthening the partnership and integration between the government, humanitarian organizations, and donor agencies to reach the most vulnerable groups and deliver support in a more efficient and effective manner.
In conclusion, Minister Al-Zawari expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support and humanitarian stance toward the Yemeni people.
At the end of the workshop, the project agreement was signed, with Mr. Saleh Mahmoud Abu Suhail, Deputy Minister for the Social Welfare Sector, signing on behalf of the Ministry, and Mr. Ahmed Al-Akwa signing on behalf of the Yemeni Foundation.
It is worth noting that the project aims to improve food security and reduce malnutrition among the most vulnerable groups in Yemen by distributing 600,000 food baskets—300,000 by the Yemeni Foundation in the governorates of Aden, Dhale, Taiz, Lahj, Abyan, and Hodeidah, and another 300,000 by the Al-Khair Coalition in Socotra, Al-Mahrah, Hadramout, Al-Jawf, Marib, and Shabwah—as part of the humanitarian interventions by KSRelief.
The workshop was attended by a number of officials and representatives, most notably:
Dr. Ahmed Mathna Al-Bishi, Director General of the Health Office in Aden
Saeed Harssi, Deputy Director of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Jamal Balfaqih, Advisor to the Ministry of Local Administration for Relief Affairs
Abdullah Al-Tayyar, KSRelief Coordinator in Aden
Aboud Naji Hussein Al-Halimi, Director General of Dar Saad District
Directors of the Ministry of Social Affairs’ offices in the targeted governorates
Representatives of civil society organizations and humanitarian institutions
A number of deputy ministers and general directors from
