New york: The UN, alongside its humanitarian partners and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has announced the launch of the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for the country, requesting $1.4 billion in funding.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric shared this information during a news conference at the UN headquarters. Dujarric highlighted that in 2025, the organization received less than a quarter of the requested $2.5 billion, stressing the urgency of acquiring funds to support people in need. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing one of the world’s most prolonged and neglected humanitarian crises, exacerbated by factors such as conflict, displacement, climate shocks, and epidemics.
The current humanitarian situation is dire, with nearly 15 million out of the 113 million population requiring assistance. However, the severe shortage of funds means that only 7.3 million people will be targeted for aid this year. Dujarric emphasized that the lack of funding in 2025 led to a reduction in services for those in desperate need. For instance, the closure of 1,000 nutrition centers resulted in nearly 400,000 severely malnourished children being denied life-saving care.
In addition, approximately 1.5 million people lost access to primary healthcare due to the shutdown of health facilities and shortages of essential medicines. Food assistance was also severely impacted, with monthly rations being reduced by up to 70 percent in the eastern provinces. Dujarric pointed out that ongoing fighting in the northeast has further disrupted humanitarian operations, warning that without adequate funding this year, the response will fall short of addressing the scale of needs.
Dujarric also discussed peacekeeping operations in the country, mentioning that UN peacekeepers facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 34 Rwandan nationals from Goma to Rwanda. This operation was conducted at the request of Congolese authorities, and the group included 15 former combatants of the FDLR armed group and 19 family members. The UN peacekeeping mission has observed an increase in voluntary surrenders by individuals affiliated with the FDLR around Goma, with a total of 60 people repatriated since January 2026.
In line with its mandate, the peacekeeping mission continues to support Congolese authorities in facilitating the disarmament, resettlement, and repatriation of FDLR combatants.