Tag Archives: eastern

Escalating violence drives food crisis across eastern DR Congo, warns WFP

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Conflict has plagued the DRC for decades, particularly in the east. Armed clashes escalated sharply this year as M23 rebels wrested control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, in January, followed by Bukavu in South Kivu a month later.

The security and humanitarian situation further deteriorated with recent outbreaks of anthrax and mpox in April and May, fuelled by overcrowded conditions and poor sanitation.

Deepening food insecurity

WFP’s latest report estimates that 7.9 million people are food insecure in the conflict-affected eastern provinces, with 28 million in need across the country.

Food production in Grand Nord, an important agricultural hub in eastern DRC, has been slashed due to recent conflict and displacement. In addition, the closure of Goma’s airport – critical for aid delivery – continues to disrupt operations.

Despite these challenges, WFP reached 1.1 million people in the east between January and March, providing school meals and take-home rations for 100,000 children, nutrition supplements for 340,000 children and pregnant or breastfeeding women – along with logistics and supply chain assistance.

Regional turbulence

The 140,000 Congolese who have fled to neighbouring countries since January – mainly Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania – have turned a national emergency into a regional crisis.

Refugee camps in these countries, already under strain from refugees from other countries, are struggling to absorb the new arrivals.

WFP warned that the surge in need is outpacing available resources. Budget constraints have forced the agency to make sharp cuts: food rations have been halved in Burundi, while cash support has also been halved in Rwanda.

In Uganda, the number of refugees receiving assistance has dropped from 1.6 million to 630,000. In Tanzania, food rations have been reduced from 82 to 65 per cent.

To sustain its emergency operations, WFP is appealing for $433 million to support its work inside the DRC through October.

Additional funding needs include $16.6 million to provide full food assistance in Burundi through 2025, $12 million to maintain full rations for refugees in Rwanda through 2025, $26 million to sustain operations in Uganda through 2025, and $18 million to provide just 75 per cent of full rations in Tanzania through April 2026.

Displaced families in the Bulengo camp on the outskirts of Goma face a dire and uncertain future as M23 authorities instruct them to dismantle their makeshift shelters.

Displaced families in the Bulengo camp on the outskirts of Goma face a dire and uncertain future as M23 authorities instruct them to dismantle their makeshift shelters.

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Civilians killed in drone strike in eastern Ukraine: UN rights monitors

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At least nine people were killed and seven injured when a Russian drone struck a minibus near the town of Bilopillia in the Sumy region, according to local authorities.

HRMMU monitors are in the process of gathering additional information on the circumstances of the attack and its victims.

Preliminary reports suggest that the minibus was carrying civilian evacuees from an area close to the frontline, the majority of whom were women.

‘A stark reminder’

“With nine civilians reported killed, this would be the deadliest attack in weeks,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.

“This is a stark reminder that civilians continue to be killed and injured on a daily basis across Ukraine.”

If confirmed, the strike would represent the deadliest attack since 24 April, when at least 11 civilians were killed and 81 injured in the capital, Kyiv.

HRMMU said that while the number of civilian casualties in May has been somewhat lower than in April, it continues to document daily civilian casualties, particularly along the frontline.

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Anthrax outbreak compounds security crisis in eastern DR Congo

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And with nearly seven million people forcibly displaced by violence since advances by M23 rebels earlier this year, the DRC is facing one of the world’s most complex displacement crises, according to the UN migration agency (IOM).

Living in overcrowded and under-resourced camps, displaced populations are increasingly vulnerable to both disease and attack.

Since January 2025 alone, over 660,000 people have been forced to flee the Goma region after Government forces lost control of the key city along with Bukavu to the south.

Tipping point

The scale of the humanitarian needs in the country has reached a tipping point, according to IOM, with outbreaks of mpox and anthrax underway in the east.

While both mpox and anthrax typically affect livestock and other animals, food insecurity resulting from the ongoing conflict, paired with unsanitary living conditions in displacement camps, puts humans at greater risk of transmission.

Dangerous infections

Both the potentially deadly infections can be contracted through contact with infected or contaminated animals. Although anthrax is not generally contagious, mpox is, the World Health Organization (WHO) underlines.

Mpox is typically accompanied by fever and rash and rarely requires hospitalisation, while all human cases of anthrax do, the UN health agency added.

Since 22 March, following the deaths of dozens of buffalo and hippopotamuses in Virunga National Park from anthrax poisoning, 16 suspected human cases of anthrax have been reported, including one confirmed case. One person has died so far.

Outbreak response

WHO is conducting assessments in the eastern part of the DRC to determine the risk of the anthrax infection spreading further across the region.

As both mpox and anthrax are treatable with antibiotics, and preventable through vaccination, WHO and its partners are working to prevent future outbreaks by adopting a unified approach, prioritising human, animal and environmental safety.

Awareness campaigns and efforts to vaccinate livestock against anthrax are now underway.

World News in Brief: Guterres on India-Pakistan tensions, eastern DR Congo update, weather boost for locusts in Africa

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UN Secretary-General Guterres has spoken to leaders on both sides on India-Pakistan tensions.

“This morning, he spoke separately by telephone with Muhammad Shebaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and he also spoke earlier in the day with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister for External Affairs of the Republic of India,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York.

During the calls the UN chief reiterated his strong condemnation of the 22 April terrorist attack, noting “the importance of pursuing justice and accountability for these attacks through lawful means.”

He expressed major concern over “rising tensions between India and Pakistan and he also underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences,” added Mr. Dujarric.

The Secretary-General also offered to help mediate in support of any de-escalation efforts.

Escalating violence displaces thousands in eastern DR Congo

Ongoing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is uprooting families, crippling essential services, and placing civilians at growing risk, the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) warned on Tuesday.

Fresh fighting in South Kivu province has forced communities to flee and left at least 10 civilians dead in Walungu territory alone, according to local authorities. “The violence is disrupting both economic life and the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid,” said OCHA.

Multiple rape cases

In nearby Kalehe, Minova hospital has reported multiple cases of rape and physical assault in recent days amid worsening insecurity. Meanwhile, clashes in Fizi territory last week led to health centres being looted and schools burned, threatening already fragile public services.

OCHA urged all combatants to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians. “Humanitarian access must be safe and unhindered,” the agency stressed.

The surge in displacement comes as eastern DRC remains gripped by fighting between the M23 rebel group and government forces, particularly in North Kivu. Since January, the violence has displaced hundreds of thousands.

In Walikale territory, civilians are trapped in a dangerous cycle of displacement and return, OCHA said, calling for strengthened protection and support for affected communities.

Locust swarms can devastate crops and pastures in many parts of Africa and elsewhere.

Favourable weather fuels desert locust surge in North Africa

Unusually high levels of desert locust infestations have been reported during the current breeding season, raising alarms across affected regions, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Tuesday.

“Desert locusts remain among the most devastating migratory pests on the planet,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, emphasising the threat they pose to food security and livelihoods.

A single swarm of locusts can cover anywhere from one to several hundred square kilometres and may contain up to 80 million adult locusts. In just 1 km², they can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 people.

Feeding on crops and pastureland, they pose a threat to crops grown for both people and livestock, risking starvation in communities that depend on agriculture for survival.

Clement weather for pests

According to the FAO, favourable weather conditions have created suitable breeding grounds for the flying pests. Winds and rainfall patterns have facilitated the movement of desert locusts from the Sahel to North Africa.

The FAO recommends conducting intensive ground surveys across key areas where locust breeding is likely to occur.

The area spanning from south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, through the Sahara in Algeria, and extending to southern Tunisia and western Libya is particularly at risk.

“Surveys and control operations are particularly urgent in locations where winter and early spring rains have created suitable breeding conditions,” said Cyril Piou, the FAO’s Locust Monitoring and Forecasting Officer.

Early detection and rapid response are critical to preventing a wider crisis, the UN food agency underscores.

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