U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
Note: The last fact sheet was dated November 6, 2008.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
On November, 7, the African Union convened a Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Peace Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, including the leaders from the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, as well as representatives from the European Union, the United States, and other regional bodies to address the escalation of conflict in eastern DRC since August 2008. Participants called for an immediate ceasefire, the creation of humanitarian corridors, and the implementation of existing disarmament agreements for armed opposition groups in the region.
On November 12 and 13, the first and second of five USAID/OFDA relief flights scheduled to transport a total of 10,000 blankets, 5,400 water containers, 500 rolls of plastic sheeting, and 5,000 kitchen sets valued at more than $800,000 arrived in Goma, North Kivu Province. Relief commodities will be consigned to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) for distribution to 25,000 internally displaced person (IDP) beneficiaries.
USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) staff based in Goma continue to monitor population movements and assess humanitarian conditions in North Kivu Province, facilitate coordination and information sharing among U.N. and relief agencies, and work with implementing partners to address the needs of conflict affected populations.
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 |
13,500 - 15,000
| UNHCR(2) - November 2008 |
Total Congolese Refugees |
331,700
| UNHCR - August 2008 |
Total Number of Deaths since 1998(3) |
5,400,000
| OCHA - September 2008 |
FY 2009 AND FY 2008 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE
USAID/OFDA Assistance to DRC - $22,061,168
USAID/FFP4 Assistance to DRC - $100,687,200
STATE/PRM5 Assistance to DRC - 33,989,988
Total USAID and State Assistance to DRC - $156,738,356
CURRENT SITUATION
Ongoing tensions and clashes between armed opposition groups and government forces continue to destabilize North Kivu Province and impede humanitarian relief efforts. Active fighting and insecurity have resulted in additional displacement of IDPs, the relocation of humanitarian staff, and the suspension of relief operations in areas of Rutshuru and Lubero territories, as well as surrounding areas of Goma.
On November 4 and 5, clashes between the National Congress of the Defense of the People (CNDP) and the Mai-Mai militia group Patriotes Resistants Congolais (PARECO) in Kiwanja, located 4 kilometers north of Rutshuru, displaced the estimated 50,000 to 80,000 residents of the town and prompted the evacuation of humanitarian staff to Goma.
From November 7 to 10, increased tensions surrounding Goma resulted in the temporarily disruption of food aid distributions and health and water and sanitation interventions in Kibati IDP camp, located 15 kilometers north of the provincial capital. However, OCHA reports that conditions have calmed since November 12, enabling the resumption of non-governmental organization (NGO) activities.
Map: USG Humanitarian Assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (as of 13 Nov 2008)