Yemen is one of the world’s least developed countries. Ranking 154th out of the 187 countries listed in the Human Development Index, it is also the Arab region’s poorest nation.
Recurrent power struggles have bled the country dry. Prior to the latest escalation of violence — which took a bloody turn when so-called Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sanaa — Yemen was already struggling with myriad challenges. More than half of the population was dependent on humanitarian assistance, while over 10 million suffered from malnutrition. Further challenges included an acute water crisis, a weak education system and an economy in tatters.
But in spite of the sheer magnitude of its problems, Yemen has received comparatively little aid from the international community. Based on official development assistance figures published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Devex found that donor support for Yemen barely exceeded $6 billion in the past decade. However, there are also more encouraging trends at play: donor contributions are on the rise, growing significantly in 2012 and 2013.