The Humanitarian Coordinator, on behalf of the humanitarian community, expresses his grave concern over the escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The Humanitarian Coordinator, on behalf of the humanitarian community, expresses his grave concern over the escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He calls on all parties to respect and uphold international humanitarian law, human rights, and the protection of civilians.

Kinshasa, 10 June 2024 - The Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mr. Bruno Lemarquis expresses his deep concern about the persistence of violence and the alarming deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"If this violence persists, it risks further worsening the already precarious humanitarian situation in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where more than 900,000 newly displaced people have been registered between January and April 2024, bringing the total number of displaced people in these three provinces to over 5.6 million, and a total of 7.3 million in the country," said Mr. Lemarquis.

The number of civilian victims continues to increase, mainly due to violence perpetrated by armed actors. During the first five months of this year, more than 470 people were killed in the province of Ituri, especially during violent incidents targeting civilians in the territories of Djugu, Irumu, and Mambasa. Additionally, at least 57 people were killed during attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the territory of Beni, in North Kivu, from June 3 to 8, 2024. In North Kivu, the M23 crisis has claimed many victims since the resumption of hostilities in February 2024. Due to the intensity of the fighting, several humanitarian organizations have had to suspend their operations in Kanyabayonga, North Kivu, affecting more than 45,000 displaced people since the second half of May. Finally, in South Kivu, the number of people fleeing violence in some territories of North Kivu linked to the M23 crisis continues to increase, especially in the territory of Kalehe.

The humanitarian community deplores the continuation of clashes and the intensification of violence against civilians. The expansion of fighting into areas considered safe for displaced populations forces these people and their hosts into constant movements, continuously weakening them.

"I call on all armed groups and their supporters to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights, by protecting civilians, ensuring unhindered humanitarian access, and allowing humanitarian operations to proceed so that organizations can provide vital assistance to people in need. I also encourage the DRC government and SAMIDRC to increase coordination with humanitarian actors to prevent any risk of incidents against partners and ensure better protection of civilians," urged Mr. Lemarquis.

The humanitarian community reaffirms its commitment to do everything possible to mobilize the necessary assistance to support the populations affected by this crisis. However, it is urgent to mobilize additional resources. To date, the 2024 humanitarian response plan is only 23% funded, with only USD 590 million received out of the USD 2.6 billion required.

Despite these constraints, the humanitarian community has managed to provide necessary assistance to more than 3.5 million people in the DRC between January and April 2024.

"It is time for all involved actors, as well as those who have influence over the parties to the conflict, to work together for an immediate de-escalation of violence and a return to political dialogue to find a lasting solution to the conflict. It is also important to increase efforts to promote durable solutions for displaced people in areas where conditions are met," emphasized Mr. Lemarquis.

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For more information, please contact:

Carla Martinez, Head of Office, OCHA-DRC, +243817061223, martinez14@un.org
Jean Jonas Tossa, Public Information Officer, +243817061220, tossa4@un.org
Information products on the humanitarian situation in the DRC are available at www.reliefweb.int