World News in Brief: Yemen appeal, Middle East war roils Somalia, needs grow in Colombia

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN aid teams in Yemen on Wednesday warned that the situation in the war-torn nation remains dire in a call for $2 billion in aid to deliver lifesaving assistance for 12 million people.

This number includes women and children and comes after more than a decade of prolonged conflict between internationally recognised government forces and Houthi separatist fighters who control the capital, Sana’a, as well as epidemics, climate shocks and funding cuts.

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UN data shows that 22.3 million people need aid relief and protection services across Yemen, where 5.2 million are internally displaced, alongside migrants and refugees.

Over 18 million ‘acutely’ food insecure

In its 2026 humanitarian needs and response plan, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that 18.3 million people are acutely food insecure.

Equally concerning, more than 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished, including more than half a million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

“Essential services remain under severe strain,” OCHA reported.

The latest data indicates that nearly 40 per cent of health facilities are partially or not functional and 14.4 million people need water, sanitation and hygiene assistance.

Somalia: Price surge deepens crisis, stalls aid

A sharp rise in fuel and commodity prices spiralling out of war in the Middle East is compounding Somalia’s already dire humanitarian emergency and disrupting lifesaving operations, the UN said on Wednesday.

Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters that “a recent surge in the prices of fuel and essential goods is worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis and hampering humanitarian operations.” 

Fuel prices have more than doubled in recent days, from $0.60 to $1.50 per litre, driven largely by strikes and counterstrikes by the US, Israel and Iran, which show no sign of de-escalation. 

Delays and drought

The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, warns that higher costs are pushing up food and water prices while transport costs for aid deliveries have also doubled. 

Somalia, which imports over 90 per cent of essential goods, is seeing delays in shipments of nutrition supplies, medicines and sanitation materials.

The crisis comes amid a severe drought affecting nearly five million people. “At least 6.5 million Somalis [are] facing high levels of hunger,” Mr. Haq said, with 1.8 million children acutely malnourished. 

Funding remains critically low, with just 11 per cent of the $852 million appeal received.

Colombia: Violence and floods drive rising humanitarian needs

Humanitarian needs in Colombia are intensifying as armed violence, movement restrictions and climate shocks converge, the UN warned on Wednesday.

Farhan Haq said the situation “continues to deteriorate”, with OCHA cautioning that the risk of new emergencies is growing. 

There is up to a 70 per cent chance of above-normal rainfall in April, raising fears of further flooding.

Recent floods in Córdoba have already prompted a coordinated response, with “food, cash and hygiene supplies…distributed to people in the most impacted areas”, Mr. Haq noted.

Violence impact triples

The humanitarian toll is mounting. Last year, disasters affected one million people, while violence impacted more than 1.6 million, triple the previous year. 

“This includes more than 150,000 people whose movements were restricted and nearly 100,000 people who were displaced,” he said, the highest levels recorded since monitoring began in 2008.

Humanitarian access is also under strain, with over 400 incidents hindering operations. The UN and partners are seeking $287 million this year to assist 1.2 million people most in need.