Trump decision to suspend foreign aid ‘major’ challenge for UN operations in DR Congo: Official

HAMILTON, Canada 

A senior UN official on Tuesday reported that US President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend foreign assistance is “a major source of concern” for aid operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“The security and humanitarian situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo remains extremely volatile,” Bruno Lemarquis, deputy special representative of the secretary-general, resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for the DRC, told reporters during a virtual news conference.

He cited the “escalating armed clashes, mass displacement and increasing insecurity in both North Kivu and South Kivu,” and reported that the presence of armed groups, particularly M23 rebels, “continue to fuel instability, exacerbating civilian suffering and humanitarian challenges.”

“Since the beginning of January, we have witnessed an unprecedented advance by the M23, supported by the Rwandan defense forces, in North Kivu and South Kivu,” he said, recalling the M23 rebels claim control of Goma.

Lemarquis warned about the shortage of medicine and medical supplies, risking epidemics “particular cholera and mpox (monkeypox).”

“As a humanitarian partner, we are strengthening our humanitarian response capacity, which has been reduced over the past two weeks,” he said, and listed key challenges faced on the ground.

He mentioned the looting of UN facilities as the first major challenge, then said, “Getting aid into Goma is one of our biggest challenges we are facing.

“The Goma airport, our main humanitarian lifeline, remains closed,” he added.

Lemarquis mentioned the Trump administration’s decision to suspend foreign aid as the final challenge, and described it as “a major source of concern with several UN agencies or international NGOs active on the ground, having seen their operation at best, severely impact, if not halted.”

“The DRC was the largest recipient of US humanitarian assistance in the world in 2024 last year, and we are the most dependent in the world on the US assistance. We were 70% funded by US funding,” he said, adding that it “is having a major impact.”

Asked about the exact figures of US aid, Lemarquis said the total requirement for humanitarian assistance for 2024 was $2.5 billion and $1.3 billion was received.

A total of “$910 million out of this $1.3 billion came from the US alone, which means 70% it’s the highest percentage in the world in terms of US contribution to humanitarian response,” he said.

Since Jan. 26, more than 3,000 people have been killed, 2,880 injured and over 500,000 displaced, adding to the 6.4 million already internally displaced people in eastern Congo, according to the UN.

Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels and sending forces to eastern Congo when the latest offensive began. Kigali has repeatedly denied the allegations.

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