UN Warns of Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in DRC

UN Warns of Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in Eastern DRC

The United Nations has issued a grave warning about the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fierce fighting between the national army and M23 rebels spreads to Goma, a city of two million people, including thousands of internally displaced individuals.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, described the situation as “volatile and dangerous,” stressing that the conflict risks triggering a broader regional war. With nearly 6.5 million people already displaced nationwide and close to 3 million in North Kivu province, the crisis is reaching catastrophic levels.

Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the DRC, expressed alarm over the deteriorating conditions in Goma, where hospitals are overwhelmed, and basic services like water, electricity, and internet remain severely disrupted. Phone networks are operational but unreliable, complicating humanitarian efforts.

To ensure staff safety, the UN has begun evacuating personnel from Goma while MONUSCO, the UN’s peacekeeping mission, continues efforts to protect civilians and disarm combatants under international humanitarian law. The UN is also calling for temporary humanitarian pauses to facilitate aid delivery and safe civilian evacuations.

📢 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

The Humanitarian Coordinator in 🇨🇩, @UN_Lemarquis, expresses deep concern about the impact of the intensification of ongoing fighting around the city of #Goma on civilian populations.

👇https://t.co/KOjg4ITlwL pic.twitter.com/TpwrEvBOuE

— OCHA DRC (@UNOCHA_DRC) January 26, 2025

The African Union Peace and Security Council is set to meet to discuss the crisis, and the UN is urging increased regional cooperation to halt hostilities. Meanwhile, thousands of families are fleeing the violence, carrying what little they can as the fighting rages on.