Recent events highlight the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), resulting in massive population displacement, natural disasters and a dire lack of humanitarian aid. In response to this emergency, the government has been mandated to present an immediate response plan for humanitarian crises and disasters for the next three months.
President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi has stressed the urgency of action, given the weather forecast for heavy rains across all provinces of the country. The massive population displacement in the East, caused by the war of aggression waged by Rwanda and its allies, combined with floods, shipwrecks and landslides, attest to the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in the DRC.
The humanitarian needs are colossal: more than 25 million people, or a quarter of the Congolese population, will need emergency assistance in 2024. Severe food insecurity affects nearly 40% of the population. The eastern provinces, plagued by persistent insecurity, are seeing unprecedented levels of displacement, with more than 1.6 million people displaced, 75% of whom are women and children.
Despite these major humanitarian challenges, the international response remains insufficient. Only 35% of the humanitarian response plan has been funded in 2024, hampering the implementation of the interventions needed to meet the pressing needs of the population. It is urgent that the international community strengthen its support to the DRC to address this devastating humanitarian crisis.
In conclusion, the humanitarian situation in the DRC requires urgent and concerted action to avoid an even greater humanitarian catastrophe. The Congolese government must put in place an effective emergency plan, allocate the necessary resources and coordinate efforts to meet the essential needs of the population in distress. The lives and dignity of the millions of Congolese affected by this humanitarian crisis are at stake.