Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- The security situation across eastern DRC remains highly volatile. Human rights violations, including reprisal killings and abductions, continue to be reported.
- On 21 March, UNHCR issued a press statement warning that critical funding gaps were severely hampering humanitarian efforts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries, leaving thousands without life-saving aid and pushing an already dire humanitarian situation closer to catastrophe.
- UNHCR and partners continue to carry out key activities under its protection mandate across North and South Kivu—including protection monitoring, awareness-raising, referral and case management, and participation in joint assessments.
- On 18 March, the State of Qatar convened a trilateral meeting between President Kagame of Rwanda and President Tshisekedi of the DRC ‘as part of efforts to ease the situation in Eastern DRC.
- On 17 March, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East Africa Community (EAC) Ministers met in Harare to discuss the situation in eastern DRC and forged a three-tier strategy to restore peace and stability.
- As of the evening of 19 March, the strategic town of Walikale reportedly fell under M23 control. UNHCR is planning to conduct a monitoring mission as soon as possible to assess possible population movements away from the town.
- As of 20 March, over 103,000 people have fled from DRC to neighbouring countries since the beginning of the year. High levels of new arrivals from DRC continue to be reported in Uganda, resulting in significant overcrowding in transit centres and a growing risk of transmission of communicable diseases, including Ebola.