Published by Action Against Hunger.

March 21, 2025 /3BL/ - Fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese armed forces and their respective allies has exacerbated already severe humanitarian needs and compromised the delivery of aid. Action Against Hunger calls on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, guaranteeing the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers, and vital infrastructure.

The humanitarian crisis has worsened considerably in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in North Kivu, since the end of January. In Goma, North Kivu's capital, violent clashes have claimed thousands of victims and damaged essential civilian infrastructures such as schools, health centers and markets. The city's hospitals are overloaded after receiving thousands of wounded. Most civilians do not have access to drinking water and are at risk of contracting diseases such as cholera and the Mpox virus, which are rampant in the area.

People in Goma and North Kivu depend on humanitarian aid for basic needs, but they are now being deprived of vital assistance. "The looting of entire stocks of nutritional inputs, medicines, and medical equipment, supply difficulties, and the volatile security situation are compromising humanitarian operations not only in Goma but throughout the region", explains Florian Monnerie, Director of Action Against Hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Before these recent clashes in Goma, ongoing conflict had already displaced 2.4 million people in North Kivu. Of these, some 800,000 people were living in the precarious conditions of displacement camps. Now, hundreds of thousands of displaced people have had to leave everything behind and move again. Once they are back in their villages of origin or in secondary displacement zones, these people will have very limited access to food, water, housing, arable land, and healthcare.

Action Against Hunger is concerned about rising cases of acute malnutrition, particularly for the most vulnerable populations: pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five. "The children who were being cared for at the three sites for displaced people where Action Against Hunger was working are now being moved with their families, and their access to healthcare is severely compromised. We fear that the nutritional crisis will get worse," adds Florian Monnerie.

With more than 25.5 million people suffering from food insecurity, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the three biggest food crises in the world. In North Kivu, Action Against Hunger implements lifesaving nutrition, mental health, and water, sanitation and hygiene activities. From January to November 2024, our teams provided 424,044 consultations for the integrated management of childhood illnesses and managed 1,723 cases of acute malnutrition.

In addition to new challenges posed by the worsening humanitarian crisis, aid funding from the United States is ending. The US was the leading humanitarian donor in the DRC, contributing 68.2% of funding for the humanitarian response plan in 2024. Action Against Hunger, in collaboration with the Congolese healthcare system, had planned to treat 45,000 severely malnourished children and provide healthcare to 360,000 children in 2025 and 2026, but this is no longer possible. With the abrupt cessation of funding, Action Against Hunger will treat the 1,875 severely malnourished children currently being cared for in health centers supported by American funding. Then, nutritional centers not supported by other donors will have to be closed. Malnourished children in these health zones will no longer have access to treatment and will be in mortal danger.

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Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.