The European Commission today announced new humanitarian support for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with an initial amount of €60 million for 2025. Following the latest developments in the East of the country, the European Union stands ready to boost emergency assistance, particularly for the newly displaced populations in and around Goma.
The new funding will support the urgent needs of displaced populations and those affected by recent conflicts and epidemics.
Assistance includes:
- Shelter and camp management.
- Clean water systems and latrines.
- Basic food rations or cash transfers.
- Education in Emergencies for the most vulnerable conflict-affected children.
The EU is a major donor for the humanitarian response in the DRC. This new funding brings the total EU humanitarian assistance to DRC to over €272 million since the beginning of 2023 and comes in addition to the EU Humanitarian Aid Flights which deliver humanitarian personnel and cargo throughout eastern DRC.
The protection of civilians remains a priority and an entry point for EU-funded humanitarian actions. Specific importance is placed on addressing issues related to gender-based violence, including prevention and a holistic response integrating health, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and socio-economic response, as part of the response to the humanitarian needs in the DRC.
Background
Between conflict, poverty, malnutrition and frequent disease outbreaks, humanitarian needs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the highest in the world.
As a leading donor, the EU and its Member States have provided sustained humanitarian funding since the start of the crisis.
Before this latest episode in the crisis, already 800,000 internally displaced people were around Goma in very heavily populated sites for displaced persons. Within a couple of days, some of the camps that sheltered over 300,000 people last week, are now already completely empty because all their inhabitants have fled the frontlines.
Humanitarian access to the most vulnerable people has been limited and remains a challenge where fighting is taking place.
Humanitarian partners estimate that so far, more than 480,000 people have been newly displaced in North Kivu since October 2024, in addition to the 178,000 newly displaced ones in South Kivu.
This adds to the 6.4 million people who were already displaced throughout the country before (of which 2.9 million new displacements in 2024 alone).
