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Geneva - International donors have pledged $1.1bn for war-torn Yemen, the UN secretary-general said on Tuesday, appealing to the fighting sides to grant access to humanitarians and revive diplomatic efforts to end a conflict that has killed over 10 000 civilians.
Antonio Guterres ended a daylong Yemen aid conference by hailing the "clear generosity and solidarity" of governments and civil society after two years of intensified conflict in the Arab world's poorest country.
The conference, co-sponsored by the United Nations, Switzerland and Sweden, raised pledges for over half of the $2.1bn sought by the UN this year in an appeal that was only 15% funded previously.
After years of shortfall in funding for Yemen, Guterres praised a "very encouraging signal" that the target could be met this year. He said the pledges must now be "translated into effective support" for Yemenis.
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"We basically need now three things: Access, access, access," for humanitarian aid to reach all Yemenis in need, he said.
The war has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine, obliterated the health system, led to broad human rights violations and impeded imports of crucial food, resources and medicines.
Aid groups want improved access to civilians, a halt to deadly airstrikes by a Saudi-led, US-supported coalition that has been fighting Shi'ite rebels known as Houthis and more respect for international law.
UN officials say the world's largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen, where 17 million people are classified as food insecure, with 7 million of those facing critical food shortages.
