The United Nations, UN says violence and access constraints in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC had continued to impede humanitarian operations in a context where one in three people need assistance.
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), Bintou Keita told the Security Council that food insecurity and cyclical epidemics were major concerns.
According to her, attacks on schools and hospitals have also exacerbated humanitarian challenges in several parts of the east, particularly Ituri.
It was gathered that with over five million internally displaced people, the country has the highest number of internally displaced persons on the African continent.
Keita however, called on members states to increase their contributions to the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan that is asking for 1.98 billion dollars, noting that to date, just over a quarter of the plan was funded.
The special representative highlighted two main challenges: the security and protection of civilians in the east, and the process of democratic consolidation in the country.
