Critical Levels Reached: Humanitarian Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo Raises Concerns among International NGOs

Humanitarian Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo Reaches Critical Levels: Concerns Rise among International NGOs

Description: Learn about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the urgent call for global intervention. Explore key findings and insights from the data-driven report by ARAC International.

Date: July 1, 2023

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently grappling with an increasingly dire humanitarian situation that demands urgent attention. In mid-June, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum of the United Nations, initiated the "scale up" of humanitarian operations in the country. However, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) express apprehension that these efforts may fall short in addressing the multitude of crises unfolding in the region.

Key takeaways and insights that highlight the urgency of the situation and emphasize the importance of collective action to alleviate the suffering in the DRC:

• The humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached alarming levels, demanding urgent global intervention.
• Conflict in the DRC has escalated significantly, resulting in the internal displacement of approximately 2.5 million people in Nord Kivu alone.
• The crisis is not limited to displacement; it has also led to medical emergencies such as cholera and measles outbreaks.
• Acute food insecurity is a critical issue, with an estimated 26 million people in the DRC facing this challenge, making it the country with the highest number of food-insecure individuals globally.
• International NGOs have scaled up their operations to respond to the growing needs, but there are concerns about insufficient resources and limited access to affected populations.
• The reduction in humanitarian space due to the resurgence of conflict further exacerbates the plight of affected populations, jeopardizing both their well-being and the effectiveness of humanitarian and development efforts.
• Immediate action is required to provide crucial healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene services to those in need and prevent further suffering.

The DRC has long been plagued by conflicts, but the situation has intensified significantly. Escalations occurred in November 2022, February 2023 in Nord Kivu, and May 2023 in Ituri, creating a series of overlapping crises. The province of Nord Kivu, where Medair operates from bases in Goma and Butembo, bears witness to the internal displacement of nearly 2.5 million people. The Ituri province, served by Medair from Bunia, has also faced significant strains due to population displacement.

Marian Wetshay-van der Snoek, Country Director for Medair-Congo, emphasizes the gravity of the situation: "Because the conflict has been going on for long, people may think the situation stays the same. But the scale of the current crisis would make the world news if they were happening anywhere else."

Source: Google Maps

The humanitarian crisis further compounds with medical emergencies, including a cholera epidemic in North Kivu's densely populated camps and a measles epidemic that emerged in January 2023. Alarmingly, the DRC is expected to have nearly 26 million people facing acute food insecurity in 2023, making it the country with the highest number of food-insecure individuals worldwide[1].

International NGOs have scaled up their operations to respond to these pressing needs. Medair, for instance, provides healthcare and nutritional support in an increasing number of health facilities while implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs in these settings. They also engage in cholera prevention initiatives for internally displaced people (IDP) camps. Emergency Response Teams have likewise expanded their activities since December.

However, despite these efforts, concerns persist regarding the sufficiency of technical and financial resources. Moreover, access to affected populations may become increasingly challenging. In a press release on June 22, the International NGO Forum in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FONGI), of which Medair is a member, expressed alarm over the reduction of humanitarian space caused by the resurgence of conflict, which exacerbates the plight of affected populations.

Luc Lamprière, representative of the INGO Forum in the DRC, highlights the escalating violence and its impact: "The upsurge of violence in the DRC over the last six months is extremely worrying. This ever-increasing violence targets not only the population but also the humanitarian and development operations undertaken on behalf of these same populations."

Without a significant increase in resources for international NGOs and their partners operating in the DRC, there is a substantial risk that the response will prove inadequate in addressing the country's complex and interconnected crises.

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Sources:

- ReliefWeb via Medair

[1]: Source: ReliefWeb via Medair (https://tinyurl.com/ARAC-StratCom)

Slug: deteriorating-humanitarian-situation-drc-ngos-alert