DOHA: The international humanitarian conference on Yemen concludes today with announcements about a series of initiatives and partnerships to support urgent relief work in the conflict-torn country.
The three-day conference yesterday discussed priorities and challenges of relief work related to water, sanitation, livelihood, economic empowerment, shelter, security and joint coordination.
During workshops on water, sanitation and cleanliness, participants discussed problems and challenges facing such sectors and the available rehabilitation and amendment opportunities.
Speakers warned of the possible damage that would happen to water networks in big cities if the fuel necessary for their operation was not available, or if the networks were not fixed nor rehabilitated. The networks provide 25 percent of the Yemeni population with water.
The workshop also discussed how the sanitation sector in urban areas is facing a greater challenge than that in the rural areas. Because of the malfunction of the sanitation sector, many diseases and plagues are spreading; it caused shortage of water, sanitation and cleanliness services.
According to data presented during a workshop, 19.4 million Yemenis need help, including 9.8 million recently added to the list because of the conflict.
The figures show that 7.4 million people need urgent help in the fields of water and sanitation at a cost of around $158.4m.
A workshop on the economic empowerment and livelihood discussed the destruction due to which the empowerment sector suffered and the nature of challenges it is facing.
Data shows that 1.8 million job opportunities were lost because of the damage to Social Fund for Development projects; and 71,000 in the projects of public works.
Funds needed for intervention in the livelihood sector are estimated to be more than $112m.
Participants stressed the importance of allocating money to support fishermen and farmers. They also discussed the importance a comprehensive intervention for the benefit of all targeted groups (money for education – money for food) as part of the humanitarian aid programmes.
The participants also highlighted the importance of providing temporary job opportunities for employees and affected workers by involving them in humanitarian relief projects; mainly in their societies by making use of their expertise and skills.
Foad Al Muzan’i, Ambassador and Adviser to the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs at Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, headed the last workshop which discussed coordination between local and international organisations and the possible mechanism of improvement.
He said Yemen has so many active organisations; however, they lack coordination and that is why it is a waste of time and money.
“This workshop discussed the ways we could follow to reinforce field coordination and merge local communities and to reinforce coordination between local and international organisations.
“I hope the conference is the beginning of joining efforts and succeeding in coordination between local and international organisations and the Yemeni government,” he added.
The Peninsula
