Humanitarian Coordinator Statement to the Member States Briefing on the humanitarian situation in the DRC (Geneva, 25 March 2025)

Head of OCHA in Geneva and Director of the Coordination Division, Dear Ramesh,

Excellency Minister Counsellor, Representative of the Permanent Mission of the DRC in Geneva Ladies and Gentlemen Representatives of the Member States accredited to the United Nations in Geneva Dear Humanitarian partners Ladies and Gentlemen,

I speak to you today at a moment of profound gravity for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congolese people. The country is facing a painful new chapter in its history. At the same time, we are at a pivotal moment for the global humanitarian aid system.

Before turning to the urgent humanitarian needs and dire situation of civilians in the eastern DRC, I would like to emphasize one fundamental truth: Without peace, humanitarians alone will not be able to turn the tide.

I urgently appeal to all parties to the conflict, as well as to the broader the international community, to prioritize political solutions, establish an immediate cessation of hostilities, and pave the way toward lasting peace.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have just returned from a week-long mission to North and South Kivu, where I met with our local NGO partners who are heroically delivering essential aid despite increasing threats to their own safety. I also engaged with our UN and international NGO partners, determined to overcome immense challenges to sustain their assistance. Most importantly, I listened carefully to the experiences of people directly affected by this crisis.

In a school now hosting hundreds of displaced families, I spoke with displaced people who had previously sought refuge in a displacement site near Goma. Four weeks ago, they were forced to return to their village of origin, only to find their homes destroyed. Soon after, armed men arrived and ordered them to leave once again. With nowhere else to turn, they sought shelter in this overcrowded school and in other makeshift shelters. The school's operations are now completely disrupted. These repeated and precarious movements have left them living in desperate conditions and with no safe place to go. Their message was clear: they need peace and the opportunity to return home—to their land, their livelihoods, and the dignity that the conflict took from them two years ago.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo today is more than just the deterioration of a protracted crisis. What we are facing is a polycrisis combining three major destabilising factors:

First: a spiral of violence is now stretching across the eastern DRC In North and South Kivu, the M23/Rwanda Defence Force offensive continues, exposing civilians to extreme risks. Since the fall of Goma on 27 January and the capture of Bukavu on 16 February, over a million people have been forcibly displaced. Fighting in numerous areas has cut off hundreds of thousands of civilians from humanitarian aid. People fleeing violence are increasingly seeking refuge in the neighbouring provinces of Maniema,
Tshopo and Tanganyika, where response capacities are extremely limited.

In Ituri, armed groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Coopérative pour le développement du Congo (CODECO) – among the most violent and lethal in the DRC – are taking advantage of the dispersion of national security forces, escalating their attacks against civilians. Since January, over 200 civilians have been killed, and more than 100,000 people have fled their homes, in a province where 1.4 million persons are already displaced.

These volatile inter-community tensions are now being exacerbated by the deployment of thousands of additional troops from Uganda’s People's Defence Force (UPDF) since February, whose presence now extends beyond the initial areas agreed under the joint FARDC-UPDF Operation Shujaa. Let me underscore clearly the magnitude of the risks we now face: the potential for inter-ethnic violence to escalate is very high. The situation poses grave risks, and without immediate and decisive action, Ituri faces the imminent threat of spiralling into a full-fledged humanitarian catastrophe.

Across these provinces, the escalation of conflict has triggered widespread violations of International Humanitarian Law. Women and girls are facing horrifying levels of sexual violence, while children are increasingly exposed to grave violations, including forced recruitment. Those working to protect and assist them are also paying a heavy price. Since January, 11 humanitarian colleagues have already lost their lives – more than during the entirety of 2024. We pay tribute to their courage and commitment.

Second: a radical change of the operating environment In large areas of North and South Kivu, humanitarian actors now operate under a de facto authority established by an armed group under UN sanction, noting that some Member States and entities have also imposed unilateral sanctions on actors not designated by the Security Council. The impact on humanitarian operations and the daily lives of the population is significant and multidimensional. Access to people in need has become more complex. Key infrastructure such as airports in Goma and Kavumu remain closed, hindering movements and aid delivery. The non-functioning of the banking system and restrictions on imports further aggravate an already dire socio-economic situation.

In Goma alone, 700,000 displaced persons have left the dismantled IDP sites around the city, seeking refuge with host families and in collective centers, or returning to their places of origin. The dispersion of displaced persons, and precarious and potentially forced returns demand an urgent shift from sitebased assistance toward decentralized humanitarian response across a wider geographical area. As we adapt our operations to this challenging new reality, we remain firmly committed to upholding the fundamental humanitarian principles—neutrality, impartiality, independence, and humanity.

Three: the global funding crisis of humanitarian aid. This crisis could not have come at a worse time for the DRC, where humanitarian aid remains a lifeline for millions. In 2024, an unprecedented 1.3 billion dollars were mobilised for aid reaching more than 7.1 million people in need, with the United States alone contributing 70 percent of the funding received through the Humanitarian Response Plan. We are immensely grateful for all the support received.

Today, the lack of funding is jeopardising humanitarian assistance. As of now, the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for the DRC is funded at only 8.3 percent. Some partners have already been forced to cut back or suspend their operations. In response, humanitarian actors are currently undertaking an urgent reprioritization exercise under OCHA’s coordination, working closely with all partners to focus our limited resources exclusively on life-saving assistance for those most vulnerable.
This dramatic shift in our operating model is unavoidable given the magnitude of the funding shortfall.

Nevertheless, without additional funding, millions of vulnerable people will inevitably be deprived of critical humanitarian assistance – with a severe impact on their dignity and living conditions.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The “polycrisis” is affecting the entire country, increasing pressure on provinces already weakened by inter-community violence, recurring epidemics, and high levels of vulnerability. It is severely straining response capacities and reshaping regional dynamics, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the sub-region. It is also having an impact of the country’s development trajectory.

Behind our strategic considerations and statistics lies unbearable human suffering. Families who have been displaced repeatedly over the years are once again forced to flee for their lives. Children born into war who know nothing beyond makeshift shelters and a future defined by uncertainty. Women and girls bear the profound scars of sexual violence and have endured atrocities that defy comprehension.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We must be clear: there is no military solution to this crisis. Continued violence will only deepen the cycle of suffering, displacement, and devastation. Let’s not forget that this humanitarian crisis has been going on for 30 years – the most protracted on earth.

The best way to have a better response to humanitarian needs is to reduce those needs.

Firstly, by reaffirming the primacy of politics. Dialogue and political processes must lead to tangible results and silence the guns. The civilian population urgently needs respite, and genuine peace and reconciliation must remain the priority.

Secondly, we must collectively mobilize sustained efforts to address the root causes of conflict: disputes over land ownership, the exploitation of natural resources, and the harmful management of illicit financial flows.

Lastly, beyond life-saving humanitarian efforts, we must strengthen the nexus approach to reduce needs and advance lasting, sustainable solutions.

The Congolese people need a peaceful Congo more than ever, and so does the world. As a country with multiple strategic opportunities, the second green lung of our planet essential to the survival of humanity, and a key player in the crucial global energy transition, the DRC must finally become a country of solutions. For this to happen, peace is essential.