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DR Congo + 2 more

Democratic Republic of Congo - Complex Emergency Fact Sheet #2, Fiscal Year (FY) 2015

Attachments

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The UN Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO) and the Armed Forces of DRC (FARDC) plan to launch an offensive against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) armed group in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces

  • Protests in the capital city of Kinshasa result in death and injury

  • The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helps reunite nearly 150 children who emerged from armed groups with their families 

KEY DEVELOPMENT

  • MONUSCO and FARDC forces are planning an offensive against FDLR elements in North and South Kivu, according to media sources. The UN Security Council authorized MONUSCO to pursue the operation after FDLR did not comply with the Government of DRC (GoDRC)-stipulated disarmament date of January 2. The offensive is the second such effort; the UN supported the FARDC and Rwandan troops to intervene against FDLR in 2009, an event which displaced nearly 1 million civilians.

  • The humanitarian community has publicly expressed concerns that the 2015 offensive could similarly generate significant needs and exacerbate protection risks, particularly in places where humanitarian access remains poor. The UN reports that the offensive could affect an estimated 350,000 people. In response, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Program (WFP) are strengthening their emergency response preparedness efforts in North Kivu and South Kivu.