Attachments
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
BACKGROUND AND KEY DEVELOPMENTS
- Since August 2008, renewed clashes between armed opposition groups and government forces concentrated in North Kivu Province in eastern DRC have resulted in significant displacement, widespread looting, and a deterioration of humanitarian conditions. According to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), recent conflict has displaced an estimated 250,000 people since August, including approximately 100,000 people since fighting intensified in Rutshuru Territory on October 26.
- In response to the crisis, USAID/OFDA activated a USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) on October 31 to monitor and assess humanitarian conditions, identify priority needs for additional programming, and facilitate humanitarian coordination and information sharing. Additional staff from USAID and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scheduled to deploy to the DRC in the coming days as part of the six-person USAID/DART comprised of a team leader, deputy team leader, program officer, water, sanitation, and hygiene advisor, safety and security officer, and information officer.
- On November 9, the first of five USAID/OFDA relief flights transporting a total 10,000 blankets, 5,400 water containers, 500 rolls of plastic sheeting, and 5,000 kitchen sets valued at $801,500 is scheduled to arrive in Goma, North Kivu Province. Relief commodities will be consigned to UNICEF for distribution to 25,000 internally displaced person (IDP) beneficiaries.
| NUMBERS AT A GLANCE SOURCE | ||
| North Kivu IDPs since August 2008 |
250,000
| OCHA(1) - November 2008 |
| Total North Kivu IDPs |
1,000,000
| OCHA- November 2008 |
| Congolese Refugees since August 2008 |
11,700
| UNHCR(2) - November 2008 |
| Total Congolese Refugees |
331,700
| UNHCR - August 2008 |
| Total Number of Deaths since 1998 |
5,400,000
| OCHA - September 2008 |
FY 2009 AND FY 2008 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE
USAID/OFDA Assistance to DRC $21,125,022
USAID/FFP(3) Assistance to DRC . $71,014,400
STATE/PRM(4) Assistance to DRC $33,989,988
Total USAID and State Assistance to DRC $126,129,110
Map: USG Humanitarian Assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (as of 06 Nov 2008)