Humanitarian needs in DR Congo are spiralling, warns UN top aid official
“The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a neglected crisis with increasing humanitarian needs," the UN’s top aid official in the country warned on Monday.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains a protracted humanitarian crisis which is a very acute and very complex one but also one of the most neglected ones, warned Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator while stressing the rising need for humanitarian assistance
“The situation is definitely not business as usual. The DRC protracted humanitarian crisis remains very acute and very complex, and according to the Norwegian Refugee Council, it is the most neglected humanitarian crisis in the world”, Mr. Lemarquis told reporters on Monday in Geneva. It's mostly due to conflict, but also to epidemics, to disasters, and is compounded by many factors, including the lack of state presence in some areas and the lack of infrastructure.”
According to Mr. Lemarquis, the DRC has the highest number of food insecure people in the world with 26.4 million people. There are an additional 6.4 million people, especially children under five, that are acutely malnourished and 6.3 million internally displaced people in the country, the highest number in Africa.
“Since March 2022, the situation has really worsened, especially with the resurgence of the so-called M23 movement,” said Mr. Lemarquis. “The humanitarian needs, which were already very high, have increased further. They have skyrocketed with additional population displacement, in particular the resurgence of the M23 had direct consequences with over one million additional displaced population, mostly in North Kivu and mostly around the town of Goma.”
Most of these displaced are living in informal settlements and in a dire situation since people need shelter, food, water, sanitation and health services. These settlements have also caused a sharp rise in sexual and gender-based violence.
There have been "steep increases in the number of acts of sexual violence against women and girls, in particular in these sites,” reported Mr. Lemarquis. “GBV [Gender-based violence] is at a record high. More than 38,000 cases of GBV cases were signaled in North Kivu in 2022, and already for the first three months of 2023 there has been a 37 per cent increase.”
Apart from conflict, there are other factors worsening the humanitarian situation.
“This year there is particularly virulent measles epidemics with high numbers”, said the Resident Coordinator. “And also, disasters. Two weeks ago there were deadly floods leading to landslides. This is one of the most catastrophic events, natural disasters in the DRC ever. So far, over 400 people have been killed in South Kivu, but 6,000 people are still missing,”
In 2023, the funding needs are at $2.25 billion for the year, but so far, only 20 per cent of that amount has been raised.
-ends-
STORY: Humanitarian situation in the DRC - OCHA
TRT: 03’16”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 22 May 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned that three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for Ukrainian civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , ICRC
Quadcopter victims, terror and death: 30 minutes in a Gaza hospital
UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR , UNICEF , UNIS , WHO
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Report of the Independent Expert on Human Rights situation in the Central African Republic.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday delivered his oral update to the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on the human rights situation in Haiti.
The High Commissioner welcomed Wednesday’s decision of the UN Security Council to strengthen the Multinational Security Support mission by transitioning to the Gang Suppression Force for Haiti, stating it is a strong signal of international support for the Haitian people.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Gaza: As world waits for US peace plan news, UN aid teams stress need for ceasefire
UN agencies reiterated calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday to help alleviate Palestinian suffering, as a new US 20-point plan raised hopes of a halt to the fighting.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNECE , WHO , OCHA , UNHCR , UNICEF
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children Fund, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the World Health Organization.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza City continues to overwhelm the war-torn enclave’s medical professionals, with four more hospitals forced to shut down this month alone, the UN World Health Organization said on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WHO , FAO
Michele Zaccheo, Chief of the Radio, TV and Webcast Section at the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives of the Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization.
2
1
2
Press Conferences | UNCTAD
Global maritime transport is facing growing uncertainty, volatility and higher costs while growth in maritime trade is slowing down, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warns in its Review of Maritime Transport 2025, released on 24 September.
️
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Launch of the latest report by the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights report released today details the dire situation of thousands of civilians detained since Russia’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine in 2022.