UN Official Warns of Deepening Crisis in DR Congo
(MENAFN) A high-ranking representative from the United Nations issued a stark alert on Friday, emphasizing that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is enduring one of the gravest humanitarian disasters worldwide, as relentless unrest and violence continue to severely impact civilians in the eastern part of the country.
"The Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently facing one of the most acute humanitarian emergencies in the world. Food insecurity is rising as families lose access to their fields and see their harvests confiscated," declared Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, assistant secretary-general for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, during a meeting of the UN Security Council.
Highlighting the intensifying displacement issue, she revealed: "Today, 5.9 million Congolese are internally displaced, including one million in North Kivu and 1.5 million in South Kivu. Families are repeatedly uprooted, caught in a cycle of fear and constant displacement."
Although recent diplomatic efforts—such as peace pacts brokered in June and July with support from the US and Qatar—have offered a measure of optimism, Pobee cautioned that "the evolution of the security situation on the ground has not matched the progress achieved on the diplomatic front."
She added, "The number of civilian casualties has risen dramatically. Humanitarian workers are risking their lives to provide limited assistance to a population whose needs continue to grow. Conflict-related sexual violence persists amid general indifference. The forced recruitment of children continues."
Pobee also emphasized that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) still pose a "major threat to civilians" in the North Kivu and Ituri regions.
According to her, "185 civilians, including children, have been killed since the beginning of July" and "hundreds have also been kidnapped over the same period."
This summary underscores the alarming scale of suffering in eastern DRC and the urgent need for coordinated humanitarian and security responses.
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