The Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has thanked the Isle of Man for its ‘extraordinary support’ towards the Yemen Crisis Appeal.
 
Saleh Saeed OBE said the ?100,000 being donated by the Isle of Man Government from its Emergency Aid budget will help to save lives in the war-torn region.
 
Mr Saeed said: ‘I have just returned from Yemen, where I was able to see the work of the DEC member charities first-hand and meet some of the people benefitting from your support. I have never seen so many people facing such hardship. However, donations such as yours will make an extraordinary difference to children who face life-threatening disease and families who do not know where their next meal is coming from.’
 
He added: ‘With your support, we’ll be able to provide more nutritious peanut paste to infants and toddlers, cash to parents who cannot afford the very basics and emergency treatment to those on the brink of starvation.’
 
The brutal civil war that has been raging in Yemen since 2015 has resulted in large-scale food and water shortages and rising levels of malnutrition among the Yemini people. The situation has now reached crisis point and the country is on the verge of famine.
 
Almost 19 million people, 70% of the population, require humanitarian assistance, including 10 million people who are in acute need.
 
The DEC brings together the fundraising efforts of 13 major UK agencies who are reaching millions of people with life-saving aid such as food, water and sanitation, cash assistance and food vouchers.
 
Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK commented: ‘Our support will add to donations from other nations to provide desperately needed assistance to an area devastated by conflict, famine and water shortages. The Isle of Man is an internationally responsible country and the emergency funding we provide continues to make a genuine difference to the lives of thousands of vulnerable people around the world.’