Floods and landslides in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to wreak havoc. Thousands of homes were swept away by floodwaters, leaving behind devastated and homeless families. Critical infrastructure such as schools, health centers and public markets have also been severely damaged, making the situation even more difficult for affected populations.
Faced with this large-scale humanitarian crisis, the Congolese Government announced the allocation of an envelope of 279.1 billion Congolese Francs (CDF), or approximately 105.7 million dollars, in favor of Social Affairs for fiscal year 2024. However, it is important to emphasize that this sum only represents 0.77% of the total projected expenditure, which amounts to 40,463.6 billion Congolese Francs (CDF).
Among these funds allocated to Social Affairs, only 634 million Congolese Francs (CDF), or nearly $99,000, are intended for humanitarian actions. This raises concerns about the government’s ability to adequately respond to the urgent needs of flood-affected populations.
The figures revealed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Actions and National Solidarity are alarming. More than 43,750 homes were destroyed, resulting in the deaths of nearly 300 people. Much vital infrastructure was also damaged, with 1,325 schools, 269 health centers, 41 public markets and 85 roads devastated. Around 304,521 households have been affected, leading to a high risk of water-borne diseases and epidemics.
As part of the 2024 Finance Law, the Ministry of Social Affairs will benefit from an envelope of 6.9 billion Congolese Francs (CDF) for its operations. In addition, the General Directorate of National Solidarity will receive a budget allocation of 289.6 million Congolese Francs (CDF).
It is important to emphasize, however, that these budgetary allocations saw an increase of only 0.31% compared to the previous year, which raises questions about the urgency and scale of the government response to this crisis. humanitarian.
Faced with this critical situation, many humanitarian organizations have requested millions of additional dollars from the Congolese government to meet the immediate needs of affected populations and prevent the spread of diseases.
It is crucial that the Congolese government takes concrete steps to allocate adequate funds to the humanitarian response and reconstruction efforts, ensuring that affected populations receive the aid they desperately need. The international community must also provide financial and logistical support to help the DRC cope with this major humanitarian crisis.