The 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan requires US$1.88 billion to support the most vulnerable

Kinshasa, 17 February, 2022- The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the humanitarian community are appealing for funds critical to implement the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan to provide aid to 8.8 million vulnerable people.

The humanitarian situation in the DRC remains critical and complex for millions of Congolese, mostly in the east of the country. Humanitarian organizations including national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations agencies estimate that 27 million people will need some sort of humanitarian assistance in 2022. This includes food, water, medicine, shelter, protection, etc. Of the 27 million people in need of assistance, 8.8 million people are considered the most vulnerable and will be targeted with aid.

"The daily lives of millions of people remain difficult. Often living in insecurity, forced to move sometimes several times, they cannot meet their vital needs which reduces their prospects for a better life. Humanitarian assistance remains crucial to the survival of these children, women, and men," said Suzanna Tkalec, the Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC.

This year, an estimated 27 million people are acutely food insecure, which makes the DRC the country with the largest number of food insecure people in the world. Of the nearly 4.2 million people suffering from global acute malnutrition, 2.4 million are children under the age of five; 5.5 million people - the largest number on the African continent - are internally displaced, mainly due to armed conflict. People’s vulnerability is also aggravated by structural problems such as extreme poverty and the lack of basic infrastructure.

In 2021, despite the limited funding received, which did not exceed 39 per cent of the amount which was needed for the humanitarian response plan for 2021, and which was the lowest rate in the last 10 years, humanitarian assistance impacted the lives of thousands of people. As of 30 September 2021, over 5.4 million people received food aid covering their food needs, 1.2 million children suffering from acute malnutrition have had access to health care as well as nutritious fortified food, and over 2.1 million people benefited from cash transfers to purchase basic necessities.

"Humanitarian assistance remains critical for millions of people. This year again, everyone's generosity is needed to help the most vulnerable," said Tkalec.

For further information, please contact:

Joseph INGANJI, Head of Office, OCHA DRC, (+243) 970 003 760, inganji@un.org

Yvon EDOUMOU, Head of Public Information, OCHA DRC, (+243) 819889136, edoumou@un.org

Information products on the humanitarian situation in the DRC are available at www.humanitarianresponse.info or www.reliefweb.int