Yemen aid cuts to deepen as funds dry up: UN

People stand in line to receive vouchers at a food distribution center supported by the World Food Programme in Sanaa, Yemen (REUTERS) 

DUBAI, Feb 16 (Reuters) -   
Yemenis face more cuts in humanitarian aid in coming months because of funding shortages that could reduce food rations in a country where millions face starvation, the United Nations aid chief warned, as the war sees its biggest escalation in years.  
Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday that by the end of January nearly two thirds of major U.N. aid programmes had already scaled back or closed.  
“The humanitarian operation ... is about to start doing a lot less,” Griffiths said. “Aid agencies are quickly running out of money, forcing them to slash life-saving programmes.”  
The U.N.’s 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan received only 58% of the requested funds from donors, U.N. data shows. Competing demands on donors and concerns about aid obstruction in Yemen have contributed to the shortfall, although some donors did step up funds mid-2021 when warnings of famine escalated.