UN needs over $1.5bn for Democratic Republic of Congo

The United Nations this year will seek more than $1.5bn to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UN migration agency’s chief envoy to the country, Jean-Philippe Chauzy said, warning the country was at a “breaking point”.

The African giant has been plagued by near-relentless instability since independence from Belgium in 1960.

The total humanitarian appeal for 2018 is $1.68bn, more than double the amount requested last year, he added. “If we don’t get that level of funding people will die,” Chauzy said.

WFP’s country chief in the DRC, Claude Jibidar, warned that “a major famine” could hit the troubled province Kasai unless donor support increases.

Another crisis unfolding in the DRC is in the country’s east, where armed groups are active in North Kivu and South Kivu, two huge provinces which border Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.

[AFP]

This entry was posted in Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation by Grant Montgomery.