Democratic Republic of the Congo

The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are paying too high a price, due to an unabating armed conflict, particularly in the eastern part of the country. This situation has been alarmingly worsening since 2023, transforming the country's protection crisis into one of the gravest worldwide. 

In 2024, more than 25.4 million people - a quarter of the population – require assistance, with the most urgent humanitarian needs concentrated in the eastern provinces, severely hit by violence and insecurity. Until 31 December 2023, more than 9.6 million people were on the move in DRC, including 6.5 million internally displaced persons, 2.6 million returnees and 527,000 refugees, making the displacement crisis in the country one of the largest in the world and second only to Sudan.

Epidemics are significantly spread, particularly cholera with 50,000 suspected cases and 470 deaths recorded in 2023 – the worst situation since 2017.  Measles transmission more than doubled in 2023, exceeding 320,000 cases (versus 146,000 in 2022), while deaths caused by measles tripled, from 1,800 in 2022 to over 6,000 in 2023.

Climate shocks are worsening vulnerable people’s living conditions, with heavy rains and river flooding affecting some 2.1 million Congolese and leaving 300 others dead, just between mid-November 2023 and January 2024. 

Congolese women and children are tremendously affected by the crisis, requiring an urgent need to strengthen their protection and resilience capacities. Their extremely precarious situation exposes them to the worst forms of abuse and exploitation.

In 2023, DRC faced unparalleled challenges, the effects of which are extending into 2024. Since January 2024, intensifying armed violence in the eastern part of the country has further exacerbated the complex and acute humanitarian situation. 

Multiple displacements are increasing people’s vulnerabilities to climatic hazards, including unprecedented flooding. Additionally, the country is combatting several epidemics since 2023. 

Insecurity is hindering vulnerable people’s access to humanitarian aid, in a context where 25.4 million Congolese face food insecurity. Neglecting food insecurity could reignite certain crises.

In 2024, the humanitarian community aims to assist 8.7 million people with critical humanitarian aid across the country. To better address people’s immediate needs, the humanitarian response will ensure access to essential nutritional and medical services, as well as provide emergency water, sanitation and hygiene services particularly to communities vulnerable to epidemics like cholera. 

Priority will be given to addressing the immediate food needs of those affected by severe food insecurity to prevent famine.  Also critical is the provision of protection services not only to displaced people, but also to unaccompanied and separated children, women, girls and boys at risk and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. To achieve these goals, the humanitarian community has appealed for US$2.6 billion for the humanitarian response in DRC in 2024. 

In addition to emergency response efforts, humanitarian actors are committed to collaborating with development and peacebuilding partners to help crisis-affected people reach sustainable recovery. 

Moreover, it is crucial for organizations to work along with the Government and donors, to support medium and long-term programmes and to tackle the underlying root causes of the humanitarian crisis and build dignity into the response.