The World Food Programme (WFP) issued a dire warning on Thursday that food supplies in Goma, a key city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), are dangerously low. The deepening crisis is being worsened by widespread water and electricity outages.
Aid Delivery Severely Hampered
The ongoing seizure and closure of Goma’s airport by M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, has compounded the difficulty of delivering humanitarian aid. Key roads are blocked, and lake transport restrictions have left countless people stranded, further straining relief efforts.
The M23 rebel group has taken control of most of Goma since Monday, marking the largest escalation in a conflict that has persisted for decades. This violence, rooted in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide and the region’s struggle over lucrative mineral resources, has embroiled a multitude of armed groups, creating widespread instability.
Dangerous Escapes Across Lake Kivu
Residents attempting to flee Goma’s violence are resorting to unsafe makeshift boats to cross Lake Kivu, putting their lives at significant risk. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reported that aid workers have been confined to their shelters in Goma for more than 24 hours due to severe insecurity, paralyzing emergency response operations.
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s emergency relief chief, has authorized $17 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support life-saving aid. However, access to those in need remains dangerously limited.
Hospitals Pushed to Breaking Point
Medical facilities in Goma, as well as in Bukavu to the south, are overwhelmed. Since January, over 2,000 injuries have been reported, many from gunshot wounds. Hospitals are severely short on medical supplies, fuel, and staff to manage the growing number of patients.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are working to expand healthcare services, yet constant disruptions in supply chains and overcrowded facilities have left response efforts struggling to keep pace.
Health experts are also warning of an increased risk of disease outbreaks like cholera, measles, and mpox, driven by mass displacement, inadequate sanitation, and unsafe water sources.
Worsening Insecurity in North Kivu
In the village of Kiziba near Goma, civilians have reported widespread looting, extortion, and sexual violence by armed men in military uniforms, according to UN-backed Radio Okapi. Elsewhere in Djugu territory, attacks on civilians by armed groups like Zaïre and CODECO militias have escalated dramatically, killing at least six people since last weekend and forcing residents to abandon roads, fields, and markets.
While some roads have since reopened, the humanitarian impact remains severe. Over 700,000 people are now internally displaced across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, according to recent estimates.
Peacekeepers Step Up Efforts
Peacekeepers from the UN mission in DRC (MONUSCO) have launched the second phase of an operation called Horizon of Peace in Djugu territory. This initiative aims to curb escalating violence by armed groups and restore some degree of safety. MONUSCO has also increased patrols to ensure the free movement of people and goods across key roads.
Urgent Calls for Global Action
Bruno Lemarquis, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for DRC, has urged the international community to respond to the mounting crisis. “I call on the international community to step up its support in the face of a worsening humanitarian crisis,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the WFP has reiterated its readiness to resume food distribution as soon as the security situation allows. However, with current restrictions in place, thousands remain at immediate risk of starvation and disease.
UN peacekeepers continue to patrol Goma’s streets amid the devastation, seeking to support civilians and maintain order in a region on the brink of collapse.
[Image Caption: UN peacekeepers return to their base after patrolling the streets of Goma.]
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