Panel Discussion: Yemen’s Hunger Crisis and Its Impact on Regional and Global Security

The discussion panel organized by the Mokha Center for Strategic Studies focused on the critical issue of hunger in Yemen, examining the humanitarian suffering caused by poverty and food insecurity. The event gathered political activists, media professionals, human rights activists, and intellectuals to discuss the growing crisis under the title: “The Yemeni People Under the Yoke of Hunger… What is Our Role? And What Can Be Done?”

A preliminary paper, presented by Dr. Nasser Al-Tawil, highlighted the alarming increase in poverty and hunger across Yemen, providing statistical insights into the scale of the problem. The discussion detailed how the prolonged war has exacerbated poverty and food scarcity, deeply affecting individuals, families, and communities. Dr. Al-Tawil’s paper also examined the multifaceted causes of hunger, pointing out that the war’s political, economic, and military consequences have created an environment where poverty and famine thrive. Internal challenges like corruption and inefficiencies in governance, combined with external pressures, were also noted as major contributors.

Key outcomes of the panel included several results and recommendations aimed at addressing the crisis:

• The Security Council must take up its legal responsibility regarding the situation in Yemen, working to restore peace and stability, reinstate the state, and end the coup in line with existing resolutions.
• The Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, needs to fulfill its legal and moral obligations to Yemen. It should honor its commitments to the Yemeni government and people by empowering the legitimate government in liberated areas to perform its constitutional duties, address the impacts of the war, and rebuild the country’s economy without delay.
• It’s crucial for the United Nations, as well as international, regional, and humanitarian organizations, to step up and ensure their work meets standards of transparency, fairness, and accountability. This will prevent the misuse of funds and ensure resources are directed to the real needs of Yemeni society and the goals of donors.
• Ignoring the crisis in Yemen will have serious consequences at both local and international levels, potentially triggering waves of migration and asylum-seeking to neighboring regions and Europe.

Participants also put forward several initiatives aimed at the legitimate government, Parliament, political parties, civil society organizations, and Yemeni media to raise public awareness, mobilize resources, and create pressure to end the war and address its aftermath.