UNITED NATIONS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations and its partners on Wednesday released this year's humanitarian needs and response plan for Yemen, appealing for 2.16 billion U.S. dollars, a UN spokesperson said.

The plan seeks to provide life-saving aid to 12 million people across Yemen, including over 9 million people facing extreme hunger, severe malnutrition, displacement, disease risk or lack of basic services, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing.

Haq said humanitarian needs in the country continue to be driven higher by conflict, economic decline, displacement, disease outbreaks and climate shocks.

"Overall, over 22 million people, more than half the population, need humanitarian assistance," he said.

Hunger remains severe, with more than 18 million people facing acute food insecurity, and more than 2 million children under five years old are acutely malnourished, said the spokesperson, adding that essential services in the country are collapsing, with nearly 40 percent of health facilities only partly functioning or closed.

Humanitarian action alone is not enough, Haq said, quoting the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "Progress will depend on restoring essential services, reviving livelihoods and strengthening resilience, underpinned by a Yemeni-led political solution," he said. ■