Critical funding gaps are severely hampering humanitarian efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and beyond, leaving thousands without life-saving aid and pushing an already dire humanitarian situation closer to catastrophe.
In less than three months, the number of Congolese fleeing to neighbouring countries has surged to over 100,000. Ongoing hostilities in North Kivu province, particularly in Masisi and Walikale territories, along with an extremely volatile security situation in Bukavu and surrounding areas in South Kivu province, have forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee.
In and around the city of Goma in North Kivu, sites that were previously home to 400,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) have all been destroyed, leaving families stranded without shelter or protection. Due to funding cuts, humanitarian partners are struggling to rebuild shelters, leaving displaced people with few options for survival.
Since January, more than 40,000 IDPs from North and South Kivu have arrived in Kalemie, in neighbouring Tanganyika province, after making perilous 700-kilometre journeys through multiple conflict zones, and across lakes. Among them are young people fleeing forced conscription into armed groups, and women and children separated from their families in the chaos of displacement.
The dangers of the journey have led to multiple tragedies as overcrowded and fragile boats, often the only means of crossing vast waterways, have capsized.
Funding constraints have made a proper emergency response by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, civil society and local government nearly impossible, hampering shelter construction and the distribution of essentials like blankets, mosquito nets, menstruation supplies and soap. Frozen funding has prevented the replenishment of UNHCR’s emergency stocks in Kalemie, leaving only 147 blankets for displaced people.
The situation in neighbouring Uganda and Burundi is almost as dire. More than 28,000 Congolese refugees have crossed into Uganda since January this year – a 500 per cent increase from the same time last year – with another 10,000 people expected to arrive by the end of this month. Reports from new arrivals indicate a desperate flight from conflict and horrific human rights violations. Most reception and transit centres in Uganda are currently hosting seven times more than their capacity and lack sufficient water, sanitation and shelter. Funding cuts have left health centres overwhelmed, with child malnutrition soaring due to the termination of feeding centres in areas hosting the new arrivals.
In Burundi’s Rugombo commune, which is hosting the majority of the 68,000 refugees who have arrived in the country since February, inadequate sanitation facilities and overcrowding in and around the stadium where people have been sheltering, as well as limited health care, have resulted in at least eight suspected cases of cholera. Without more funding to increase health services, there is a significant risk of further spread of disease. A new site to host refugee arrivals is already over capacity. The continued funding crisis has led to food shortages for new arrivals. Services for refugees with additional protection needs are also under strain, including for over 400 unaccompanied and separated children and for survivors of sexual violence.
We are grateful to those donors who have committed support so that UNHCR and partners can ramp up response efforts in the DRC and neighbouring countries, but the growing needs far exceed available resources.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
