Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) 2022 Annual Report [EN/AR]

FOREWORD

I am pleased to share with you the 2022 Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) Annual Report. This report outlines how the Fund was at the forefront of the life-saving response and was flexible in adapting to the situation on the ground.

In 2022, the situation in Yemen remained bleak, with 23.4 million people requiring humanitarian assistance. The YHF reached about 5 million people with life-saving humanitarian and protection aid. The Fund filled critical gaps and complementing other funding streams. YHF allocations were complemented by three grants from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The two funds together provided US$137.5 million for assistance in 2022.

The YHF has transformed into one of the most effective humanitarian financing mechanisms in Yemen, consistently delivering against the Grand Bargain commitments on localization and the use of cash, where feasible.

The YHF continues to champion localization. It has steadily shown inclusivity and increased Yemeni organizations’ participation through its growing pool of partners and the rollout of its Localization Strategy. In 2022, the Fund had 96 eligible partners, of which 42 were national organizations. This broadened outreach to the most vulnerable and underserved areas.

The YHF has become the most significant source of direct funding for Yemeni organizations, reaching a record high of 43 per cent funding allocated to national frontline responders, almost double the funding from last year. This reflects the Fund’s commitment to empower and invest in local and national responders. In this regard, the Fund has become one of the strongest supporters of the ‘Localization of Aid’ agenda in Yemen.

I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Fund’s donors for their partnership and constructive engagement. Their unwavering commitment and support to the Fund reflects continued confidence and trust in the YHF. The Fund received some US$101 million in 2022 from 25 donors.

I thank the clusters, UN agencies and NGO partners for their long-standing partnership and support to the Fund. The YHF continues to place the people in need at the center of prioritization and decision- making processes and I thank the Yemen cluster coordination system for the good collaboration and technical leadership to make this possible.

As of March 2023, the people of Yemen entered their ninth year of conflict since its escalation in 2015. The humanitarian outlook points to continued and significant challenges. The gains made in previous years can easily be reversed without sustained humanitarian assistance and a focus on durable solutions. Given the scale of humanitarian needs and the comparative advantage of the YHF, I encourage donors to renew their support to the YHF as one of the best-placed mechanisms to help the most vulnerable people in need in Yemen.

William David Gressly
United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen