On the second day of the visit of European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Christos Stylianides to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday 26 March, the European Commission announced that in the face of the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country and its impact on the Great Lakes region, the EU is to commit €60 million in emergency aid.
Stylianides travelled to the DRC to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground, particularly in North Kivu where 1.5 million people are displaced due to armed conflicts (there are over 5.1 million displaced people in the whole country), and to ask the Congolese authorities in Kinshasa to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and to facilitate humanitarian access throughout the country.
The DRC "has become the largest displacement crisis in Africa. There are 10 million people in urgent need of assistance. One Congolese in six is in need, 2 million children are suffering from severe malnutrition. The international community must increase its aid", Stylianides stated in North Kivu, ahead of the donors' conference in Geneva on 13 April that he is co-chairing on behalf of the EU, alongside the United Nations, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
Out of the total envelope announced, €49.5 million is intended for vulnerable people in the DRC itself, and €10.9 million is intended for the neighbouring countries (Tanzania, Rwanda and the Republic of Congo), mainly to help them respond to the needs of the Congolese refugees they are hosting.
In the DRC, €42.3 million will go to help cover the basic needs of 13 million people needing vital help, and €7.2 million will go to finance the EU's Eco Flight humanitarian flights service to channel aid to North and South Kivu.
During his visit, Stylianides visited projects financed by the EU – Panzi hospital, directed by Dr Mukwege in Bukavu, South Kivu, and Ndosho hospital in Goma, North Kivu.
According to the United Nations 2018 humanitarian intervention plan, 16.6 million people are affected by the crisis and 13.1 million of these people are in need of help. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)