UK slashes aid to war-hit Yemen but continues weapons export even as US ends sales of arms

Yemen, a war-torn country of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia is on the brink of starvation. As it struggles to feed over 12 million children and seeks help from the international community for better healthcare facilities and rations, the United Kingdom earlier this week announced that it will slash its 'humanitarian aid' to Yemen this year by £127mn compared to £214mn that it had extended as help in 2020-2021. However, the UK still is the lead supplier of arms to the Saudi - and Emirati-led coalition that is fighting against the Houthi rebels who seized control over much of Western Yemen in 2014.

 The United Nations aims to raise $3.85bn funds to fulfil the requirements under the humanitarian aid to Yemen. While on one hand, the global body is in talks with over 100 countries and their governments, UK's decision has left the UN with $1.7mn lesser funds it could have generated this year till now.

'UK supplying weapons to Saudi-led coalition in Yemen'

The Foreign Secretary of the UK, Dominic Raab however has said that 'The aid of  £87mn will feed at least 240,000 children while the government will supply clean water to Yemen.' The war-torn country has seen a drastic downfall in its healthcare systems and infrastructure for the past five years. Frequent bombings by the Saudi- led coalition of Arab states have left most homes in the country damaged, while shops and markets rarely open due to the ongoing massacre. The UK has allegedly been at the helm of affairs with the Saudi- led coalition as the former is supplying arms and ammunition for the war.

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The US President, Joe Biden in February observed that the ongoing conflict in Yemen has killed over hundred thousand and counting, while the war has displaced at least 8 million with children starving, he announced America will no more support the ongoing offensive operations in Yemen and that includes relevant arms sales.' The US voluntarily pulled back from funding violence, while the UK has continued the export of weapons, which only has furthered the conflict in terms of violence.

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Prominent representatives of childrens' groups and members of political circles took it to Twitter and expressed their concern over UK's decision. Here are a few tweets:

Cutting aid to Yemen a death sentence: UN Secy Gen

The United States recently also extended a humanitarian aid of £191mn to help the UN in its global fundraising campaign for Yemen. Till now, the US has donated $350mn for 2021 that will be used as aid for the Yemen populace. 
However, referring to the UK decision, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres observed "Cutting aid during such a time when Yemen is reeling under diseases and hunger would be a death sentence. Millions of Yemini children and people desperately need aid to survive." 

He added, "I thank those who pledged generously & ask others to consider again what they can do to help stave off the worst famine the world has seen in decades." 
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