Statement by Rein Paulsen, Head of OCHA in DRC following the death of a humanitarian aid worker

Kinshasa, 07 May 2016, “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the wider humanitarian community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are mourning the loss of a humanitarian aid worker. I offer my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Roger Muteba Muanyishayi, a lawyer from Heal Africa who lost his life on 6 May after the NGO vehicle in which he was a passenger was caught up in fighting on the road between Mweso and Kichanga, in the Masisi territory of North Kivu.

The tragic death of this young lawyer should not pass in silence. It is a regrettable illustration of the significant insecurity that impacts the lives of too many people in the DRC. It is also a sobering reminder of the risks faced by aid workers who make sacrifices — sometimes the ultimate one — to provide life-saving assistance to vulnerable communities.

It is paramount that all actors with responsibility ensure that the right to give and receive humanitarian assistance is safeguarded.

Our thoughts are with the family of Roger Muteba Muanyishayi.”