OCHA, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the European Union hosted a Humanitarian Conference on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 13 April 2018.

At the Conference, international donors announced US$528 million to support the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid to millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The announcements were made at a humanitarian conference in Geneva co-chaired by the United Nations, the European Union and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

“The generosity of donors will allow the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, working alongside the Government and Congolese institutions, to save more lives and protect more women, girls, boys and men,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock. He emphasized that the Government of the DRC is providing leadership on the crisis response while the UN is supporting the Government in playing that key role for its people.

The humanitarian conference was attended by 54 countries in addition to numerous regional organizations, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations. Announcements were made by 22 UN Member States and organizations for humanitarian action in DRC in 2018.

Co-hosts

Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
H.E. Mrs. Sigrid Kaag, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Netherlands
H.E. Mr. Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management
 

Resources

Total Pledges

Background

In response to the dramatic deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2017, humanitarian actors have launched an appeal for US$ 1.68 billion for 2018, the largest ever funding appeal for the country.

The humanitarian situation has drastically worsened over the last year. A surge of violence forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee. The country is already beset with one of the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian emergencies. Food insecurity and malnutrition have deteriorated. A 30 per cent increase from 2017 year means that now 7.7 million people are left food insecure and over 2 million children at risk of severe acute malnutrition. Girls and women have suffered horrific sexual and gender-based violence. 4.3 million of people are struggling to survive in displacement. Overall, 13.1 million people urgently require humanitarian assistance.

The funding is needed to urgently assist some 10.5 million Congolese people in 2018. Geographical expansion of the humanitarian needs and worsening situations in existing crisis hotspots all require a step change of the response of the international community to address life-threatening humanitarian and protection needs.

A forgotten refugee crisis

The DRC is also at the centre of one of the most complex, but forgotten refugee crises globally. Almost 750,000 Congolese have sought international protection in neighbouring countries. The risk of further displacement both within and beyond borders remains high, with a disastrous impact on the precarious humanitarian situation in the DRC and the region.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, together with 30 humanitarian partners, have launched an appeal for US$504 million, to address the needs of an anticipated 807,000 refugees in Angola, Burundi, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Southern Africa in 2018.

Funding updates