Humanitarian crisis worsens as conflict displaces millions in North Kivu

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, ongoing violence between the M23 armed group and Congolese armed forces has significantly escalated an already dire humanitarian crisis, particularly in North Kivu, as of March 21, 2025. Violent clashes in Goma, the capital of North Kivu, have led to an increase in civilian casualties and severe damage to essential infrastructure, including schools and health centers. Access to drinking water is severely limited, leaving the local population vulnerable to diseases such as cholera and the Mpox virus, exacerbating the situation as people depend increasingly on humanitarian aid for basic survival needs. The situation was already critical prior to the recent escalations, with conflict causing the displacement of approximately 2.4 million individuals within North Kivu. As these individuals attempt to return to their villages or find refuge in secondary displacement zones, they face immense challenges in accessing food, clean water, housing, and healthcare. The humanitarian organization Action Against Hunger has expressed particular concern regarding rising cases of acute malnutrition among vulnerable groups, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five. Access to healthcare for displaced children has declined significantly, raising fears that the nutritional crisis will worsen in the coming months. From January to November 2024, Action Against Hunger managed to provide over 424,000 consultations related to childhood illnesses and addressed 1,723 acute malnutrition cases. The group had anticipated scaling up efforts to treat around 45,000 severely malnourished children in 2025 and 2026 in collaboration with the Congolese healthcare system. However, a sudden halt in funding threatens these plans, forcing Action Against Hunger to only treat the 1,875 currently malnourished children still receiving support from American funding. Centers that lack alternative funding sources will likely close, pushing more malnourished children into precarious situations. The worsening humanitarian crisis in North Kivu is part of a broader context of significant food insecurity affecting more than 25.5 million people across the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.S. has been a critical contributor, supplying 68.2% of the funding for the humanitarian response plan in the previous year. As the security situation deteriorates, the ability of humanitarian operations to function effectively and provide essential aid is critically compromised, leaving thousands at increased risk of malnutrition and associated health complications, with dire implications for the region's future stability.