Emergency Food Assistance in Yemen - World Food Programme 2010

December 1 2009 - In August of 2009 the ongoing fighting between government forces and rebels intensified in northern Yemen spilling across the border into Saudi Arabia. The violence has forced thousands from their homes bringing the number of displaced since the start of the conflict in 2004 to over 175 000 many of whom have been displaced repeatedly. Those affected are in urgent need of emergency food assistance protection shelter safe water proper sanitation facilities basic healthcare and medical services. CIDA's contribution is supporting the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide emergency food assistance to displaced populations and host families in northern Yemen. Through a combination of general food distribution and the provision of nutritious supplementary rations to particularly vulnerable children under the age of five WFP expects to reach an estimated 150 000 conflict -affected individuals.