Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- On 25 April 2025, the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a Declaration of Principles aimed at promoting a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
- Despite diplomatic efforts, the security situation in Eastern DRC remains highly volatile, with continued fighting involving non-state armed groups and clashes between the Congolese armed forces, their allies, and the M23 movement.
- On 29 April, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) began the phased withdrawal of its forces from Eastern DRC following the end of its mandate. Some troops crossed into Rwanda from Goma, while others remain in-country. The withdrawal may affect the security environment in North Kivu, where civilians remain vulnerable to ongoing conflict.
- Between 1 and 27 April, Uganda received 22,589 asylum seekers from DRC, bringing total new arrivals since January 2025 to 60,569 — an increase of 603 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
The security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains marked by continuous violence involving clashes between different non-state armed groups (NSAGs), as well as between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), their allies, and the M23 movement who now control substantial area in Eastern DRC. Widespread human rights violations, including serious violations of children’s rights, continue to be reported, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in the eastern provinces.
On 25 April 2025, a declaration of principles was signed by the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda in support of a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict. However, heavy fighting continued on 26 and 27 April in both South and North Kivu provinces.
The withdrawal of the first troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from Goma began on April 29, with some crossing into Rwanda en route to their home countries, while others remain in the DRC as part of a phased drawdown. In parallel, the evacuation of personnel of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and their families began on 30 April, facilitated by ICRC through road convoys. These individuals had been cantoned at a MONUSCO site at the airport. In the framework of the cholera Case Area Targeted Interventions (CATI) programme and through UNICEF’s partnership with Amilabo, sensitization activities were provided to the cantoned individuals on cholera and gender-based violence (GBV).
While some displaced populations are returning to areas of origin in North and South Kivu, new internal displacements continue in these provinces and in Ituri. Efforts to track both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees (those who have returned to their areas of origin) are ongoing, though the volatile security context, vast geographic scope, and limited access present significant challenges to obtaining a full picture. According to the Commission on Population Movement, Ituri province alone recorded approximately 41,000 new displacements between February and March 2025 due to rising intercommunal violence. Ituri currently hosts over 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). IOM reports that, as of end-March 2025, the M23 crisis only has displaced approximately 1.2 million people across North and South Kivu provinces.
At the same time, the number of asylum seekers fleeing to neighboring countries – particularly Uganda – continues to rise. UNHCR reports that Uganda received 22,589 asylum seekers from the DRC between 1 and 27 April, bringing the total since January 2025 to 60,569. This represents a 603 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. In addition, since 14 February 2025, there has been a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers crossing from DRC into Burundi, with more than 70,000 new arrivals registered as of 13 May. Most arrivals are from Uvira, Walungu, Bukavu, Saké, Minova, and Goma.
Widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law persist across North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri. Reported abuses include summary executions, sexual violence, and arbitrary arrests. Rising criminality further exacerbates hardships for civilians, who are frequently subjected to looting, extortion, and reprisals for perceived affiliations with armed groups.
Children are among the most affected. Family separations are increasing, and children face heightened exposure to abuse, sexual violence, and recruitment by armed groups. Persistent insecurity in areas of origin continues to hinder family reunification efforts. In some return areas in North Kivu, multiple alerts have been issued regarding the presence of unexploded ordnance, further increasing protection risks for children.
The security situation, compounded by limited access to basic services such as health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), is worsening the spread of communicable diseases including mpox and Cholera. In Ituri, the provincial health authority has reported an increase of mpox cases, with 105 cases recorded between epidemiological weeks 1 and 16 across 22 of 36 health zones – 54 per cent of these reported cases just between weeks 13 and 16. This is a stark increase from only two cases recorded during the same period in 2024.
Cholera also continues to spread across the eastern and other provinces. Between January and 21 April, the National Programme on the Elimination of Cholera and Diarrheal Diseases (PNECHOLMD) reported 5,680 suspected cases (14 deaths) in North and South Kivu provinces alone. At the national level, during epidemiological week 17 of 2025, a total of 1,327 cases and 29 deaths were reported – representing a 104 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024 and a 26 per cent increase compared to 2023. South Kivu alone accounts for 27 per cent of these cases. Since the start of 2025, 19,824 cholera cases and 395 deaths (a case fatality rate ‘CFR’ of 2 per cent) have been reported across 87 health zones nationwide.
An anthrax outbreak is also ongoing in Virunga National Park (North Kivu), affecting wildlife, livestock, and humans. Fifty-two animal carcasses have been reported, along with 16 suspected human cases, including one confirmed death. There is a risk of cross-border transmission. Authorities have reinformed surveillance and closed the park to prevent further spread. A multisectoral response is underway, following the “One Health” approach. However, the response faces logistical, security, and supply challenges, particularly related to the availability of antibiotics.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, education access remains disrupted by new displacements in North and South Kivu. UNICEF continues to collaborate with NGOs, Clusters (Education, Child Protection, WASH), and authorities to restore schooling in affected communities.
Despite these challenges, UNICEF remains on the ground to support the most vulnerable populations. Efforts to negotiate access to hard-to-reach areas are ongoing. During the reporting period, UNICEF participated in two inter-agency access missions in Ituri and South Kivu. In Ituri, the mission engaged with key stakeholders (including authorities, communities, and both state and non-state armed groups) who committed to allowing humanitarian access. However, in South Kivu, a planned mission from Bukavu to Uvira was halted in Kamanyola despite prior confirmations that the team would be granted access to Uvira.
In North Kivu, the UNICEF team carried out a mission from Goma to Beni, crossing the zone controlled by both the M23 and government forces. Reassurances were provided by both parties that the movement of personnel and goods between zones would be permitted.