International NGOs Appeal for an Estimated $1.98 billion to Respond to Increasing Humanitarian Needs in DR Congo

International NGOs working in DR Congo join in an appeal to the international community to prioritize resources and ensure that more funds are sufficiently allocated across the sectors, directly to implementing actors, national and international NGOs.

More than 19.6 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) need humanitarian assistance this year, according to the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan, an increase of four million people in just one year. In this context, international NGOs working in the country are sounding the alarm. Generations of Congolese families have suffered from conflict, displacement, food insecurity and compounding epidemics, including Ebola and Covid-19. Today, one in twelve people in need of humanitarian assistance worldwide come from DRC. This year more than ever, we call on the international community to prioritize resources to countries with the most pressing needs, like the DRC. 

The scale and a multitude of crises are difficult to grasp. DRC has the second largest displaced population globally after Syria - 5.5 million people - resulting from the conflict. In addition, DRC is facing the world’s worst hunger crises today. The country is also confronted with disease outbreaks such as cholera, measles, bubonic plague and Yellow fever. To make matters worse, new cases of the Ebola virus disease were announced on 7 February 2021. Being no exception, the country is hit by Covid-19. The economic decline in the aftermath of the pandemic has dragged vulnerable households even further into poverty. Conflicts, attacks against civilians and widespread sexual and gender-based violence give rise to serious protection concerns. The needs are immense, and the humanitarian imperative is more pressing than ever.

Faced with humanitarian needs still growing, NGOs continue to deliver in an exceptionally challenging environment. Access constraints due to logistics limitations with difficult terrain, poor infrastructures, and inaccessible road networks and insecurity and administrative hurdles continue to be a significant challenge for all actors.  At the same time, DRC continues to be one of the most dangerous countries for aid workers. According to the International NGO Safety Organization (INSO), 303 incidents targeting NGO staff were reported, with 42 abductions, 18 people injured, and ten killed in 2020. With great despair, we learned about the attack on a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy on 22 February, ending with three casualties, the Italian ambassador in the country, his security guard, and the WFP driver.  Yet, we must not forget that this sort of danger is a reality faced by many local communities, Congolese women, men and children, every day. 

The imbalance in resources compared to needs is immense. Despite being rated one of the largest crises in the world today in terms of the number of persons in need, it ranked 32nd in terms of funding coverage in 2020, only funded at 39 percent at year-end 2020, which makes the country one of the most neglected and underfunded compared to the needs. 

Despite all these facts, the situation in DRC does not often make the headlines. Attention is instead focused on domestic crises and the global pandemic, as opposed to the unfortunate chronic conflicts and humanitarian needs in the DRC, which continue to affect millions of children, families, and Congolese at large. Understanding the economic consequences of the Covid-19 affecting all countries worldwide, this year more than ever, support countries with the most pressing needs to be at the center of decision making.