RIYADH－The United Nations on Tuesday raised little more than half of the required $2.41 billion in humanitarian aid for Yemen, ravaged by both war and coronavirus, at a donor conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia in the sixth year of its military intervention.

About $1.35 billion was raised at the emergency virtual conference, which came as aid groups warned the virus could wreak havoc in Yemen after years of conflict and amid crippling funding shortages.

"We are in a race against time," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his opening speech.

"Aid agencies estimate they will need up to $2.41 billion to cover essential aid from June until December, including programs to counter COVID-19."

Without the required funding, more than 30 out of 41 major UN programs in Yemen could close in the next few weeks, Guterres warned, calling for "urgent action".

But the pledging event fell short of its objective, raising just $1.35 billion from 30 donor countries.

The amount is about half the $2.6 billion raised at last year's UN pledging conference for Yemen in Geneva.

"We welcome the pledges made today, but this still falls far short of what is needed to alleviate the suffering," said Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Yemen is already gripped by what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands killed, an estimated 4 million people displaced by war and tens of thousands afflicted by malnutrition and disease.

Now, as the virus spreads, nearly 5.5 million people risk losing access to food and clean water in Yemen this year, according to a survey by 24 international aid groups, including Save the Children.

Mortality rate

Guterres said in Aden, reports indicated the mortality rates from COVID-19 were "among the highest in the world".

Mark Lowcock, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said $180 million of the required funding was needed to combat the fast-spreading virus.

Saudi Arabia, a key player in the conflict, emerged as the biggest donor at the event, pledging an aid package worth $500 million.

Britain, a leading arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, stepped in with a new aid package for Yemen worth $200 million.

The United States, another weapons provider to the kingdom, said it would offer $225 million, while Germany announced $140 million in assistance.

Saudi Arabia, which leads a military intervention against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, has contributed billions of dollars in aid to Yemen in recent years.

But the Saudi-led coalition is also widely blamed for civilian casualties in bombing raids that campaigners say have pushed the country deeper into crisis.

Agencies - Xinhua