Slovenia last year pledged additional contributions worth EUR 40,000 in 2022 and EUR 50,000 in 2023 for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

State Secretary Raščan expressed his concern at the humanitarian situation in Yemen, the scene of one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Despite the unimaginable dimensions of the emerging humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, we must not forget the affected people of Yemen, where more than 14,500 civilians have died during seven years of conflict and 10,200 children have been killed or injured. He underlined the importance of the respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of humanitarian workers and called for a political solution to the conflict.

According to the reports of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA), more than 20 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance last year. The conflict that has been going on for more than seven years, intensified again last year. In addition to the escalating military conflict, the deterioration of the humanitarian situation was also a result of the deepening economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and heavy rains and flooding.

In recent years, Slovenia has committed more than half a million euros of humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen through international organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).