$1.08 million in Japanese support for African refugees in Yemen

SANA'A, May 18
(Saba) - Japan has decided to allocate almost $ 1.08 million for the UNHCR in Yemen
to help
African refugees, mostly Somalis, arriving in the country almost daily.
The Japanese embassy in Sana'a said in a statement that the sum would be used to
implement the UNHCR programs for providing the refugees with shelter, water,
sanitation
and healthcare services as well as other basic services.
It is worth to mention that Japan is one of the big financial supporters of the
UNHCR for decades.
African refugees, mostly from Somalia and Ethiopia, arrive in Yemen in daily
numbers, with the authorities saying the number of those who have already arrived
is estimated
at hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
The refugees flee conflicts and deteriorating living conditions in their homelands.
Last year, the UN said that over 50000 people crossed the sea to Yemen.
Over the first quarter of this year, the UNHCR said the flow of the refugees
slowed, with those who arrived roughly 3200 people, a third of their number during
the same
period last year.
The refugees lay more burdens on Yemen's fragile economy and social structure as
well as posing threats to the country's national security.
FR