UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF: MANY HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES STILL IN DRC

(Kinshasa / New York / Geneva, 03 May 2010): John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has ended his five-day visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"The situation in the DRC remains complex, and the humanitarian needs very high, with grave protection concerns continuing to affect people in the eastern, north-eastern and north-western parts of the country, causing large-scale suffering to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people", he said.

Mr. Holmes visited three areas of the country heavily affected by armed violence: South Kivu, Haut- Uele District of the Orientale Province, and Equateur Province. In each, he met the provincial authorities, representatives of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), as well as humanitarians, and ordinary citizens affected by the crises.

In meetings with President Joseph Kabila and Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito today, Mr. Holmes emphasised that the humanitarian needs in the DRC remained considerable. "I am confident that cooperation between the Government and the United Nations in this domain will continue. We are committed to respond to the acute needs of the population, but we also need to tackle the underlying root causes", he added.

Mr. Holmes made clear in this context that the continued presence of MONUC remains very important for humanitarian activities and actors. "In many areas, MONUC is a deterrent against those who terrorise and attack civilians and humanitarian actors alike", he said, "and their support, especially in Orientale Province and Equateur Province, but also in the Kivus, is very important for the continued delivery of life-saving assistance to those in need". Mr. Holmes also emphasised the importance for the protection of civilians of accelerated security sector reform, because of the continuing humanitarian consequences of abuses by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) themselves.

Mr. Holmes met representatives of donor countries in the capital Kinshasa. In order to respond to humanitarian needs in the country, the United Nations and its partners, through the Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP) for year 2010, have requested a total of US$ 828 million, 27% of which has been received so far. In 2009, out of a requested amount of $ 946 million, $ 686 million was received. "We are trying to help people survive and, to the extent possible, live a dignified life. I hope that donors will continue to be generous in helping us achieve this, because of the extent of the continuing needs", Mr. Holmes said.