United Nations, Jan 7 (IANS): Funding shortages are continuing to impact the UN humanitarian operation in Yemen, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned Thursday.

The 2021 humanitarian response plan for Yemen received 58 percent of its funding requirements, leaving a gap of $1.6 billion. As a result, aid agencies are being forced to scale down and close vital programs, Xinhua news agency quoted OCHA as saying.

Emergency food assistance is being reduced for 8 million people across the country. Reproductive health services, water, protection and other programs are also scaling back, it said.

The UN urges donors to sustain and increase, where possible, their funding to the humanitarian response in Yemen, which represents a lifeline to 16 million people.

In 2022, the UN will also be working closely with all stakeholders to promote a stronger economy in Yemen, as economic collapse is the main driver of humanitarian needs, said OCHA.