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	The catastrophic impact of conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo by OCHA, UNHCR, OHCHR, agencies Democratic Republic of the Congo / Sudan   7 July 2025   UN warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan as displacement, hunger and disease escalate. (UN News)   UN humanitarians on Monday sounded the alarm over the worsening conditions in Sudan, as violence continues, and food and water remain at critically low levels.   The situation is particularly dire in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur province, which has witnessed some of the worst episodes of the ongoing conflict between rival militaries.   Those remaining in El Fasher are facing “extreme shortages” of food and clean water, with markets repeatedly disrupted, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists.   Across the city, nearly 40 per cent of children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition, including 11 per cent with severe acute malnutrition.   Most of the surrounding water infrastructure has also been destroyed or rendered non-functional due to minimal maintenance and fuel shortages, Mr. Dujarric added.   Since April 2023, an estimated 780,000 people have been displaced from El Fasher town and the nearby Zamzam displacement camps, including nearly 500,000 in April and May of this year. Famine conditions have been confirmed in the area since last August.   About three-quarters of Zamzam camp’s residents fled to various locations across Tawila, where the UN and its partners have scaled up critical humanitarian assistance.   Mr. Dujarric further warned that the breakdown of water and sanitation services, combined with low vaccination coverage, has sharply increased the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera. So far this year, Sudan has reported more than 32,000 suspected cholera cases.   According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cholera cases continue to rise across Darfur, with over 300 suspected cases and more than two dozen deaths reported in South Darfur state last week alone.   “Conflict and collapsing infrastructure continue to drive the spread of the disease and impede response efforts,” Mr. Dujarric stressed.   Since war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and more than 12 million forced to flee their homes – including approximately four million as refugees in neighbouring countries.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165340 http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-occupied-palestinian-territory-syria-sudan-myanmar-haiti-ukraine   20 June 2025   UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk warned today of the disastrous consequences stemming from ongoing and escalating hostilities across the North Darfur and Kordofan regions in Sudan, where civilian casualties, sexual violence, abductions and looting have been reported in multiple areas.   “The recent fighting and grave risk of further aggravation in an already brutal and deadly conflict raise severe protection concerns, amid a pervasive culture of impunity for human rights violations,” the High Commissioner said.   On 15 June, after a year-long siege, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a further attack on El Fasher, following months of increased mobilisation of fighters, including the recruitment of children, across Darfur. The operation, with its ground offensive to capture the city, mirrors the RSF’s offensive on the Zamzam camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in April, which led to hundreds of civilian deaths, widespread sexual violence and a humanitarian catastrophe.   In South Kordofan state, civilians also remain trapped by the fighting between the parties vying for control of the strategic town of Al Debibat. Meanwhile, in North Kordofan state, the RSF have reportedly surrounded the city of El Obeid, currently held by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied groups, and may attack it in the coming days, as announced by the RSF commander.   “We know where further escalation will lead,” Turk said. “For too long already, the world has witnessed the unbound horrors unfolding in Sudan and the untold suffering of its people. Civilians must be protected at all costs. Violations and crimes must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible be held to account,” he added.   “I urge the parties to ensure civilians can safely leave El Fasher, Al Debibat, and El Obeid, as well as other places where civilians may be trapped by the conflict. All parties must refrain from attacking civilian objects, ultimately lay down their weapons and put an end to hostilities,” Turk said.   “I call on all States to exert their influence to press for a durable political solution, and to ensure respect by the parties to the conflict for international humanitarian law. I also urge them to press for an end to the flow of arms into the country, and to restrain the business interests sustaining this conflict.”   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/sudan-turk-warns-catastrophic-surge-violence   Apr 2025   Statement by Jan Egeland, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary General on the two-year mark of the Sudan crisis:   “This week, we mark two years of war in Sudan which have caused one of the most harrowing crises of our generation, with the forced displacement of nearly 15 million people. Armed men have for more than 700 days and nights attacked defenceless civilians with impunity. Civilians have not been protected, and peace efforts have failed.   “We are witnessing a confluence of catastrophic factors—the widespread violence that has caused the deepest humanitarian collapse in Sudan’s history is exacerbated by the most severe US funding cuts ever, on top of aid cuts by several European donors. Programmes that once provided vital support have been forced to shut down, leaving millions without the basic means to survive.   Around 25 million people are facing devastating hunger, and yet we have been forced to stop our support to farmers, whose produce is essential to help us avert famine wherever it hasn’t struck yet.   We have been forced to close down aid access centres for displaced and vulnerable people where they could seek our services. And we have had to scale down on education for thousands of children who desperately need it. This is the darkest hour for Sudan.   “Neighbouring countries hosting more than three million refugees and returnees, including Chad and South Sudan, now bear the weight of overflowing refugee populations while facing crises of their own. This is not merely a policy failure; it is a moral failure. We must not allow self-interest to overshadow our fundamental responsibility to save lives.   “I call on the global community to reverse these misguided funding shifts and recommit to protecting humanity. Our actions in this critical moment will determine whether we choose compassion or conflict over the future of our shared humanity.”   http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/april/sudans-darkest-hour http://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/sudan-crisis-two-years-on http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-two-years-war-starvation-global-failure-world-must-act-now http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-faces-worsening-humanitarian-catastrophe-famine-and-conflict-escalate http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/port-sudan-drone-attacks-call-protect-civilian-infrastructure-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/sudan-un-expert-calls-end-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure-amidst http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/civilians-trapped-children-risk-amid-escalating-violence-darfur http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/un-experts-demand-international-action-human-rights-violations-escalate http://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr01/9355/2025/en/ http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162771 http://news.un.org/en/focus/sudan-conflict http://news.un.org/en/tags/sudan http://www.unocha.org/latest/news-and-stories?responses=30 http://unocha.exposure.co/sudan-1   http://www.msf.org/people-fleeing-zamzam-camp-arrive-overwhelmed-humanitarian-response-tawila http://www.msf.org/conflict-sudan http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-displacement-zamzam-camp-north-darfur-state-flash-update-no-3-2-may-2025 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/civilians-trapped-children-risk-amid-escalating-violence-darfur http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/massive-scale-needed-more-ever-rainy-season-msf-warns-european-parliament-sudan-crisis http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/forced-displacement-north-darfur-overwhelms-aid-operations-and-increases-civilian-vulnerability http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-displacement-zamzam-camp-north-darfur-state-flash-update-no-01-15-april-2025 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-23-children-and-9-aid-workers-reportedly-killed-al-fasher-abu-shouk-and-zamzam http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/attacks-zamzam-and-abu-shouk-camps-and-al-fasher-must-end-now-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-turk-gravely-concerned-rising-civilian-deaths-and-widespread-sexual http://tinyurl.com/mpbyba67 http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sexual-violence-sudan-they-beat-us-and-they-raped-us-right-there-road-public-enar http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164621 http://www.unfpa.org/news/widespread-guns-and-bullets-sexual-violence-used-terrorize-sudans-women-and-girls http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-un-fact-finding-mission-deplores-darfur-killings-conflict-enters-third http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162116 http://news.un.org/en/interview/2025/04/1162131   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-calls-urgent-access-preposition-food-sudan-rainy-season-risks-cutting-roads-starving http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1159433/ http://dataviz.unhcr.org/product-gallery/2025/04/sudan-crisis-deepens-but-attention-wanes-after-two-years-of-war http://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/sudan-emergency http://www.iom.int/sudan-conflict-two-years http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/sudan-new-report-sheds-light-two-years-devastation-sudan http://www.msf.org/two-years-war-sudan-leave-millions-more-need-ever http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-crisis-two-years-unraveling-worlds-largest-humanitarian-disaster-sahel-red-sea-0   17 Mar. 2025   Sudan: In North Darfur, conditions at Zamzam camp worsen amid siege   OCHA warns that the ongoing siege on Zamzam camp, outside the city of El Fasher, Sudan, is deepening the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians who are struggling to survive after months of famine.   Food shortages are growing even more severe. Prices of basic goods have skyrocketed, making essential items unaffordable for most families. Zamzam is a site in which famine conditions were identified last July and reconfirmed in December.   Armed attacks continue along the route between Zamzam and El Fasher, with multiple casualties and injuries reported. Despite severe access challenges, humanitarian teams are providing food, water and urgent medical care, but needs are far outpacing available resources. The situation has become even more critical due to funding cuts and the withdrawal of most aid organizations assisting in the area due to insecurity. This comes after WFP and Medecins Sans Frontieres were forced to suspend operations in Zamzam last month.   OCHA is also concerned that conditions are also deteriorating in parts of Khartoum State. Local volunteer aid workers report severe malnutrition and critical shortages of medicines in the district of Sharg An Nil. They say malnutrition is widespread among children and pregnant women. Lack of food is a major problem due to the closure of most community kitchens. Two weeks ago, front-line aid workers recorded more than 800 cases of severe child malnutrition, with numbers continuing to rise. Meanwhile, cases of anemia, hepatitis, night blindness and malaria are increasing due to the critical shortage of medicines in the few remaining functional health facilities.   There are also very serious concerns over reports of grave human rights violations in Khartoum as fighting rages and lines of control shift rapidly.   OCHA stresses that the scale of suffering in Sudan is staggering, and without swift intervention, the consequences will be devastating for millions. We call once again for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver life-saving aid.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/825000-children-trapped-conflict-rages-sudans-al-fasher-and-zamzam-internally http://www.msf.org/msf-briefing-sudan-un-security-council http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/04/hundreds-killed-rsf-attacks-sudans-north-darfur http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/18/survivors-attack-sudan-zamzam-camp-rapid-support-forces-paramilitaries http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/families-fleeing-attacks-sudans-zamzam-camp-arrive-injured-traumatised-nothing-eat-save-children   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-faces-worsening-humanitarian-catastrophe-famine-and-conflict-escalate http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/15/world-leaders-need-help-end-atrocities-sudan http://www.refugeesinternational.org/advocacy-letters/joint-statement-genocide-returns-to-darfur/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/sudan-rapid-support-forces-horrific-and-widespread-use-of-sexual-violence-leaves-lives-in-tatters/ http://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/19/world/africa/sudan-usaid-famine.html http://www.globalr2p.org/countries/sudan/   27 Feb. 2025   WFP, MSF forced to stop urgent food distributions, medical care in Sudan's Zamzam camp as fighting intensifies   Intense fighting in Zamzam camp in Sudan’s North Darfur region has forced the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to pause the distribution of life-saving food and nutrition assistance in the famine-hit camp for displaced people. Over the past two weeks escalating violence left WFP’s partners with no choice but to evacuate staff for safety.   “Without immediate assistance, tens of thousands of desperate families in Zamzam could starve in the coming weeks,” said Laurent Bukera, Regional Director for Eastern Africa and acting Country Director for Sudan. “We must resume the delivery of life-saving aid in and around Zamzam safely, quickly and at scale. For that the fighting must stop, and humanitarian organizations must be granted security guarantees.”   In February, WFP and its humanitarian partners only managed to provide 60,000 out of 500,00 people with food vouchers, when heavy shelling forced the pause of aid operations earlier this month. The food vouchers allow families to purchase essential food supplies directly from local markets which WFP helps to keep stocked through its local network.   The recent violence left Zamzam’s Central Market destroyed by shelling, pushing residents of the camp – estimated to be around 500,000 people – further away from accessing essential food and supplies.   Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian operations director, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that satellite imagery showed heavy weapons were used in and around the camp in recent weeks.   “Terrified civilians, including humanitarian workers, were unable to leave the area when the fighting was most intense,” she said, adding that many people were killed including aid workers.   Earlier this week, the Doctors Without Borders medical charity said it paused its operations, including its field hospital, in the camp due to intensified attacks.   WFP and other partners have been working to deliver food and nutrition assistance to displaced people in and around North Darfur’s Zamzam camp. These people will not receive support until WFP is able to safely resume activities and get humanitarian assistance to the area.   “Millions of people are facing famine or at risk across Sudan. We are trying every possible way to get vital aid into the hands of people whose lives hang in the balance,” Bukera said.   In 2024, two out of every three people in famine or risk of famine areas received WFP assistance. However, access remains highly sporadic, and two million people in 27 locations across Sudan are currently experiencing, or on the brink of, famine. Regular deliveries to starving communities are the only way to push back the famine in Sudan.   Aid groups have made pleas for humanitarian access for months in Zamzam and elsewhere, with very limited success. The U.N.’s top humanitarian official in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, has accused the RSF fighters and allies of preventing life-saving aid from reaching desperate people in Darfur. The RSF and allied militias control much of the region. They have been accused of ethnically motivated killing and rape, the International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-pause-food-distributions-sudans-zamzam-camp-fighting-intensifies http://www.unocha.org/news/sudan-crisis-requires-unprecedented-action-ocha-tells-security-council http://www.msf.org/sudan-msf-forced-halt-our-activities-violence-engulfs-zamzam-camp-north-darfur http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-un-security-council-meeting-0 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161091 http://www.savethechildren.net/news/sudans-zamzam-refugee-camp-childrens-lives-brink-medical-and-food-supplies-dry   17 Feb. 2025   UN urges global action to protect and support civilians devastated by Sudan’s war.   Nearly two years of conflict have fueled a catastrophic protection crisis and displaced a staggering 12 million people in Sudan and across borders.   Fighting continues to kill and injure civilians and destroy hospitals, markets and other essential infrastructure. Nearly two-thirds of the population need emergency aid, and the country is facing famine conditions. Refugees in dire need arrive in neighbouring countries where local resources are already stretched thin.   In response, the United Nations and partners today launch the 2025 humanitarian and refugee response plans for Sudan, appealing for a combined US$6 billion to assist nearly 26 million people inside the country and in the region.   “Sudan is a humanitarian emergency of shocking proportions,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher. “Famine is taking hold. An epidemic of sexual violence rages.   Children are being killed and injured. The suffering is appalling. But our plan is a lifeline to millions. We need to stop the fighting, the funding to deliver for the Sudanese people, and better access by land, sea and air to those who need help.”   “Today, one-third of Sudan’s entire population is displaced. The consequences of this horrific and senseless conflict spread far beyond Sudan’s borders,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.   “Neighbouring countries have shown great solidarity by welcoming refugees, even when more are arriving every day. But their resources are stretched – essentials such as water, shelter and health services are scarce – and Sudan needs urgent support.   The international community must step up and help, not just to ensure that emergency aid and life-saving protection can continue without disruption, but also to end the violence and restore peace to Sudan.”   Famine conditions have been reported in at least five locations in Sudan including displacement camps in Darfur and in the western Nuba Mountains. Catastrophic hunger is expected to worsen by May when the lean season begins. With continued fighting and basic services having collapsed across most of the country, the crisis is set to get worse.   The Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Sudan aims to reach nearly 21 million vulnerable people with life-saving aid and protection.   As the conflict rages on, thousands continue to flee every day. The majority arrive in an extremely vulnerable state, with high levels of malnutrition and requiring emergency assistance. To date, nearly 3.5 million people have sought safety in neighbouring countries further stretching already scarce services and resources.   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudans-war-enar http://www.unocha.org/news/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudans-war http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/03/accelerating-action-sudanese-women-amid-conflict-statement-un http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-crisis-sudan-statement-humanitarian-coordination-forum-hcf http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-food-crisis-priority-actions-urgent-call-assistance http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-action-children-2025-sudan http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudan-s-war http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/02/sudan-powder-keg-high-commissioner-turk-warns-human-rights-council   http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/urgent-alert-on-the-risk-of-genocide-in-north-darfur-sudan/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/sudan-entrenched-impunity-fuelling-gross-human-rights-violations-and-abuses http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-young-one-reported-among-survivors-rape-during-sudans-violent-conflict   Port Sudan, 10 Feb. 2025   Remove restrictions to allow aid to reach people in need in Sudan - Statement by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami:   The humanitarian crisis in Sudan – particularly in the Darfur region where food insecurity and widespread suffering are escalating – demands urgent and unimpeded access to aid. However, persistent restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles imposed by the Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations (SARHO), an affiliate of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), are preventing life-saving assistance from reaching those in desperate need.   Despite repeated commitments made by SARHO, humanitarian actors continue to face obstruction, undue interference, and operational restrictions that contravene international humanitarian law and the obligations outlined in the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan of May 2023.   It is unacceptable that the humanitarian community in Sudan — comprising United Nations agencies, international and local non-governmental organizations — is unable to deliver essential aid due to actions by those who have pledged to facilitate assistance.   I call on SARHO to take immediate and concrete measures to:   1. Guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access by removing administrative and security obstacles that delay or prevent aid from reaching affected people.   2. Ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, assets and operations to ensure their ability to function without threats or coercion.   3. Simplify bureaucratic procedures for aid convoys by eliminating unnecessary approvals and ensuring efficiency in the movement of humanitarian supplies.   4. End interference in humanitarian operations, including demands for logistical support or mandatory engagement with selected vendors that risk corruption and aid diversion.   5. Return to comprehensive and meaningful engagement through dialogue and negotiations with the humanitarian community as whole as outlined in the Jeddah Declaration to guarantee the delivery of urgent life-saving aid.   The humanitarian community stands ready to work with SARHO and all parties in good faith to ensure that assistance reaches those in urgent need. The world is watching.   http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/remove-restrictions-allow-aid-reach-people-need-sudan-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami-enar   26 Jan. 2025   Scores killed in hospital attack in Sudan’s besieged El Fasher, says WHO. (Agencies)   70 people have been killed in an attack on the only functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan, the head of the World Health Organization has said, the latest in a series of attacks as the African nation’s civil war has escalated in recent days.   “The appalling attack on Saudi hospital in El Fasher, Sudan, led to 19 injuries and 70 deaths among patients and companions,” the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said. “At the time of the attack, the hospital was packed with patients receiving care.”   Another health facility in Al Malha also was attacked on Saturday, he added. “We continue to call for a cessation of all attacks on health care in Sudan, and to allow full access for the swift restoration of the facilities that have been damaged,” he wrote. “Above all, Sudan’s people need peace. The best medicine is peace.”   Tedros did not say who had launched the attack, though local officials blamed the RSF for the assault.   Clementine Nkweta-Salami, a UN official who coordinates humanitarian efforts in Sudan, warned on Thursday that the RSF had given “a 48-hour ultimatum to forces allied to the Sudanese Armed Forces to vacate the city and indicated a forthcoming offensive”.   “Since May 2024, El Fasher has been under RSF siege,” she said. “Civilians in El Fasher have already endured months of suffering, violence and gross human rights abuses under the prolonged siege. Their lives now hang in the balance due to an increasingly precarious situation.”   The city is now estimated to be home to more than 1 million people, many of whom have been displaced by the war.   The RSF siege had killed and injured over 2,000 people the UN said in December, warning the true figures were likely to be much higher.   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/attack-hospital-al-fasher-shocking-violation-and-affront-humanity-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159501 http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/statement-ingo-forum-sudan-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure http://www.msf.org/sudan-malnutrition-crisis-msf-renews-call-immediate-action-prevent-death-and-starvation http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/grave-concerns-over-imminent-threat-civilians-al-fasher-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/01/sudan-concern-civilians-over-likely-offensive-el-fasher http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/12/sudan-alarming-el-fasher-siege-hostilities-must-end-un-report http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/01/sudan-conflict-taking-more-dangerous-turn-civilians http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/sudan-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure-amid-escalating-fighting http://reliefweb.int/report/chad/war-sudan-nearly-one-million-people-forcibly-displaced-chad http://www.care.org/news-and-stories/thel-latest-from-the-worst-humanitarian-crisis-on-earth-sudan/   Dec. 2024   Sudan: Famine expands as conflict drives catastrophic hunger to more areas. (IPC)   Twenty months into the conflict, Sudan continues to slide into a widening Famine crisis characterized by widespread starvation and a significant surge in acute malnutrition.   The IPC Famine Review Committee (FRC) has detected Famine in at least five areas and projects that five additional areas will face Famine between December 2024 and May 2025. Furthermore, there is a risk of Famine in seventeen additional areas.   Half of the population (24.6 million people) is facing high levels of acute food insecurity. This marks an unprecedented deepening and widening of the food and nutrition crisis, driven by the devastating conflict, which has triggered unprecedented mass displacement, a collapsing economy, the breakdown of essential social services, and severe societal disruptions, and poor humanitarian access.   According to the FRC, Famine (IPC Phase 5) detected in August 2024 in Zamzam camp, North Darfur state, has persisted and expanded to Al Salam and Abu shouk camps and the Western Nuba Mountains for the period October to November 2024. Between December 2024 and May 2025, Famine is projected to expand in North Darfur localities including Um Kadadah, Melit, El Fasher, At Tawisha, and Al Lait.   There is a risk of Famine in the Central Nuba Mountains (including in Delami, Western Kadugli, Um Durein, and Al Buram localities), and in areas likely to experience high influxes of IDPs in North and South Darfur. These include Tawila, Nyala Janoub, Nyala Shimal, Beliel, Shattaya, As Sunta, Buram, and Kas in South Darfur, as well as Medani Al Kubra and Sharg Al Jazirah in Al Jazirah State, Mayo and Alingaz in Jebel – Awilia, Khartoum state and Al Firdous in East Darfur state.   This latest IPC analysis shows that food insecurity is at worse levels than foreseen. Between December and May, 24.6 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). These results mark a stark increase of 3.5 million people compared to the number originally projected and correspond to over half of the population of Sudan.   This includes about 15.9 million people (33 percent) classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), 8.1 million people (17 percent) in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), and at least 638,000 people (1 percent) in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe).   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-117/en/ http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2025-overview http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-urges-security-council-action-famine-conditions-spread-sudan http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1158756 http://www.wfp.org/news/food-and-nutrition-crisis-deepens-across-sudan-famine-identified-additional-areas http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2025-executive-summary-issued-december-2024 http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami-condemns-shelling-and-airstrikes-civilian-areas-parts-darfur-and-khartoum http://prezly.msf.org.uk/alert-from-msf-in-zamzam-camp-north-darfur   27 June 2025   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed on Friday in the United States capital, Washington, DC.   The accord is “a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region,” he said in a statement that evening.   Since the 1990s, eastern DRC has been plagued by dozens of armed groups who have terrorized the population. The Government has long accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group. Earlier this year, M23 launched an offensive in North and South Kivu provinces, capturing cities and villages, including provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu.   Thousands of civilians were killed, hundreds of thousands more were displaced, and serious human rights violations were committed.   The Secretary-General commended parties facilitating the mediation process, including The US, Qatar and the African Union Mediator, President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo. He also acknowledged the contributions of the five co-facilitators designated by the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).   He urged the parties to fully honour their commitments under the peace agreement and in line with UN Security Council resolution 2773 (2025), including the cessation of hostilities and all other agreed measures. The resolution, unanimously adopted in February, condemned the M23 offensive and called for the DRC and Rwanda to return to diplomatic talks.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1165071 http://www.unhcr.org/us/news/press-releases/news-comment-unhcr-welcomes-drc-rwanda-peace-agreement-opportunity-end-cycles http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1165056 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164981 http://www.unocha.org/democratic-republic-congo http://www.unocha.org/latest/news-and-stories?responses=36 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164466 http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/06/hc-turk-updates-council-situation-north-and-south-kivu-provinces http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/democratic-republic-congo-national-ownership-essential-address-internal http://tinyurl.com/5xm3tysc http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-occupied-palestinian-territory-yemen-democratic-republic-congo-sudan http://www.msf.org/sexual-violence-eastern-drc-persistent-emergency http://www.care.org/media-and-press/emergency-kits-run-out-alongside-hope-for-drc-sexual-violence-survivors/ http://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/great-lakes/democratic-republic-congo-rwanda/dr-congo-rwanda-deal-now-comes-hard-part   23 May 2025   As more people are driven from their homes in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) food insecurity worsens, creating heightened humanitarian needs regionally. (WFP)   The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that the sheer scale of people being displaced from their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to escalating conflict, is pushing food insecurity to crisis proportions and deepening an already strained humanitarian response both internally and across the region.   WFP is scaling up its efforts to ensure lifesaving aid reaches displaced communities, but assistance is not keeping pace with the growing needs.   Violent clashes between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), M23, and other armed groups have uprooted more than 660,000 people since January in Goma alone, leaving these individuals without reliable access to food.   In the conflict-affected eastern provinces of DRC, (Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika) the number of people facing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and above) has risen from 6.6 million to 7.9 million. Some 2.3 million of these people are in IPC phase 4.   Food production in North Kivu’s Grand Nord, an important agricultural hub in eastern DRC, is deeply affected by escalating insecurity and mass displacement.   According to the latest assessment, more than 90 percent of households in North and South Kivu are facing acute levels of food insecurity, with many families forced to reduce meal sizes, eat less nutritious food and resort to begging. Local food prices have increased as insecurity disrupts trade routes and market access, leaving families struggling.   The DRC is now home to 28 million acutely food insecure people (IPC 3 and above).   Cross-border displacement is compounding the food crisis. In the first four months of 2025 nearly 140,000 Congolese fled to neighbouring countries, with Burundi and Uganda receiving the largest influxes – 70,000 and 60,000 respectively. People fleeing into neighboring countries have abandoned their farms and many lack access to critical services including food, shelter and healthcare..   WFP is working with humanitarian partners to ensure people receive life-saving assistance, but the needs are soaring, and the resources are not keeping pace. Insecurity and ongoing armed clashes are limiting humanitarian access, making it difficult to reach the most vulnerable communities in eastern DRC.   The shortage of food commodities is significantly impacting WFP’s emergency response, particularly in South Kivu where general food distributions were not possible in April. Goma airport, a key humanitarian hub, remains closed.   WFP urgently requires US$426 million to sustain emergency operations in the DRC through October 2025. Without immediate support, millions risk being cut off from lifesaving assistance, further deepening the humanitarian crisis both at country and regional level.   http://www.wfp.org/news/more-people-are-driven-their-homes-drc-food-insecurity-worsens-creating-heightened http://www.wfp.org/stories/hunger-soars-drc-wfp-regional-chief-urges-joint-action-reverse-course http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1159546/?iso3=COD   2. Apr 2025   DR Congo: Millions facing destitution as violence forces people to flee multiple times   The escalation of violent conflict in recent months has pushed hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into desperate conditions, warns the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary General Jan Egeland on a visit this week.   Displaced families sheltering at temporary sites have once again been forced to flee, as fighting and abuse plunge people into life-threatening situations. The explosion of humanitarian needs requires immediate attention from an international community that has turned its back on people in crisis. Parties to the conflict must end the violence facing civilians.   “I am truly shocked by the conditions I have seen in and around the city of Goma. The lives of hundreds of thousands of people here in eastern DRC are hanging by a thread,” said Egeland. “Right across North and South Kivu, people have been repeatedly compelled to flee camps, where essential facilities were often already inadequate. Now, most find themselves in locations that lack shelter, basic sanitation, or drinking water, with diseases such as cholera rapidly increasing as a result.   “Many displaced people I’ve listened to this week have lost everything after years of violence. It is unacceptable that a small number of humanitarian organisations are faced with a vast mountain of needs. It is high time that assistance here matches the vast scale of human suffering. Long term solutions must be enabled, with children quickly allowed to return to school, banks to re-open, and an immediate end to violence and threats of violence against civilians.”   Since the M23 offensive across the region earlier this year, an estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced across North and South Kivu provinces. 1.8 million people have been compelled to return to their places of origin, often to locations which bear deep scars from years of conflict between multiple armed groups. Civilians face threats, gender-based violence, and extreme deprivation. Unexploded munitions continue to prevent many communities from fully cultivating their land.   “Fighting and conflict are still continuing, with thousands of families caught in limbo, without the means to rebuild or cultivate food. The situation facing civilians in eastern DRC has for years been a stain on the international community: now it has become even worse,” said Egeland.   NRC teams are providing displaced people with emergency aid, but there is too little funding available. The United States has for long been the largest donor to emergency relief and development aid in the country, but many US-funded projects have been interrupted or paused due to changes at USAID, just as humanitarian needs in DRC exploded.   DRC has for eight consecutive years been ranked as one of the world’s most neglected displacement crises, due to repeated cycles of conflict, lack of funding for aid and media attention, or effective humanitarian and peace diplomacy. Millions of people have been repeatedly driven from first their homes and then, again, from camps, often multiple times. Families have been pushed into impossible choices just to survive, such as going to dangerous areas to find firewood to sell, exchanging sex for food, or sending young children to beg for money.   “The level of global neglect experienced by civilians in eastern DRC should shame world leaders. Now, at a point of deep insecurity and with many families having returned to their areas of origin, there must be concerted action to finally support the population properly. Humanitarian and development assistance must now take priority: the people of DRC must not be faced with simply more of the same,” said Egeland.   http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/april/dr-congo-millions-facing-destitution-as-violence-forces-people-to-flee-multiple-times http://www.wfp.org/stories/hunger-soars-drc-wfp-regional-chief-urges-joint-action-reverse-course http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/child-reported-raped-every-half-hour-eastern-drc-violence-rages-amid-growing-funding http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-coordinator-statement-member-states-briefing-humanitarian-situation-drc-geneva-25-march-2025 http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/reports-sexual-violence-eastern-drc-surge-almost-700-march-armed-conflict-intensifies-actionaid http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/icrc-president-respect-international-humanitarian-law-key-breaking-vicious-cycle-conflict-eastern-democratic-republic-congo   14 Mar. 2025   Cholera spreads as clashes drive displacement in eastern DRC   OCHA reports that clashes and insecurity in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to harm civilians.   In South Kivu, humanitarian partners warn that continued violence in the territories of Uvira and Fizi has forced nearly 370,000 people to flee their homes since early February.   Serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law have been reported, including nearly 400 cases of sexual violence reported in Uvira between 9 and 25 February, according to partners monitoring protection issues.   Humanitarian organizations in the area have also been targeted in Uvira.   The impact of the continued insecurity and displacements of people has also contributed to a growing cholera outbreak, with health officials reporting more than 240 cases and 10 deaths as of March 10th in Uvira. Partners working in health estimate new cholera cases are doubling every week there.   Since 3 March, clashes in Walungu Territory have reportedly forced more than 20,000 people to flee, and they urgently need food, water, shelter and other essential items.   http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-occupied-palestinian-territory-syria-democratic-republic-congo http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/unicef-drc-l3-emergency-humanitarian-situation-report-no1-escalation-conflict-01-15-march-2025 http://www.wfp.org/news/conflict-and-rising-food-prices-drive-congolese-one-worlds-worst-food-crises-according-new-ipc http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/un-experts-urge-immediate-action-protect-children-against-trafficking http://www.msf.org/new-wave-violence-ituri-drc-further-risks-civilian-lives   20 Feb. 2025   Crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to deepen. WFP alarmed at soaring hunger as more flee displacement camps in eastern DRC.   The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has partially resumed food assistance in parts of Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) delivering vital nutrition supplies for the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition in children aged 6 to 59 months as three weeks of fighting continues to worsen access to food for the most vulnerable.   A recent WFP market assessment found the price of staple foods in eastern DRC has sky-rocketed – making it more difficult for families to put food on the table. The price of maize flour has risen by nearly 67 percent.   With major access routes blocked, and Goma International airport a critical humanitarian hub closed, WFP’s priority is to resume operations fully as soon as it is safe to do so.   ‘The longer we are unable to give food and emergency assistance to families affected by the conflict, the greater and more dire their needs are,” said Peter Musoko, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in DRC. “I do not want to see children and mothers sink deeper into hunger and severe malnutrition. We need the violence to stop so we can resume our humanitarian activities. The most vulnerable people in DRC cannot afford to be overlooked during this crisis.’   http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-community-drc-calls-254-billion-provide-lifesaving-assistance-11-million-people-affected-crises http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unhcr-calls-continued-protection-and-assistance-congolese-fleeing-escalating   15 Feb. 2025   Fighters from the Rwandan-backed M23 group have entered Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after a rapid advance south in recent days. M23 fighters entered the city of 1 million people on Friday.   The surge in violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation. The fighting has destroyed 70,000 emergency shelters around Goma and Minova in South Kivu, leaving 350,000 internally displaced people without shelter, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.   "UNHCR is alarmed by the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis impacting hundreds of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the continued lack of humanitarian access to displaced people hampers the provision of urgently needed aid.. The crisis is worsening as many tens of thousands of people flee to areas where humanitarian aid cannot reach them due to insecurity.   UNHCR calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety of civilians, including the displaced, and to uphold international humanitarian principles including the right to move freely in search of safety. We urge all parties to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure and guarantee unhindered humanitarian access. UNHCR urges the international community to bolster their support to prevent a deeper humanitarian catastrophe".   13 Feb. 2025   Children in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo increasingly exposed to sexual violence, abduction and recruitment – Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell:   “I am deeply alarmed by the intensifying violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and its impact on children and families. In North and South Kivu provinces, we are receiving horrific reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict, including rape and other forms of sexual violence at levels surpassing anything we have seen in recent years.   “During the week of 27 January to 2 February 2025, UNICEF partners reported that the number of rape cases treated across 42 health facilities jumped five-fold in one week. Of those treated, 30 per cent were children. The true figures are likely much higher because so many survivors are reluctant to come forward. Our partners are running out of the drugs used to reduce the risk of HIV infection after a sexual assault.   “One mother recounted to our staff how her six daughters, the youngest just 12 years old, were systematically raped by armed men while searching for food.   Armed groups in DRC continue to commit grave violations against children, with OCHA reporting at least 1,500 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against children in the past 1.5 months. UNICEF reports a five-fold increase in rape cases between January 27 and February 2, 2025, with 30 percent of victims being children. OHCHR confirmed summary executions of children by M23 in Bukavu, and the UN Child Rights Committee reported that 45 street children in Goma were killed by M23 after the group entered the city.   “Children and families across much of the eastern DRC continue to face relentless bombardment and gunfire. In recent months, thousands of vulnerable children in displacement camps have been forced to flee multiple times to escape the fighting.   “Parties to the conflict must immediately cease and prevent grave rights violations against children. They must also take concrete measures to protect civilians and infrastructure critical to their survival – in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.   “Humanitarian partners must have safe, unimpeded access to reach all children and families in need – wherever they may be. UNICEF continues to call for increased diplomatic efforts to put an end to the military escalation, and to forge a lasting political solution to the violence, so that the country’s children can live in peace.”   http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unhcr-seeks-urgent-support-violence-eastern-dr-congo-leaves-hundreds-thousands http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/drc-m23-attacks-hospitals-gravely-concerning http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/children-drc-endure-grave-violations-under-siege-un-committee-warns http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-eastern-democratic-republic-congo-increasingly-exposed-sexual-violence http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/protection-alert-escalating-crisis-south-kivu-democratic-republic-congo-14-february-2025 http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-coordinator-alerts-humanitarian-consequences-crisis-south-kivu-and-calls-end-fighting http://www.unocha.org/latest/news-and-stories?responses=36 http://reliefweb.int/country/cod http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/joint-statement-icrc-ifrc-red-cross-society-DRC http://news.un.org/en/tags/democratic-republic-congo   5 Feb. 2025   Rebels of the M23 armed group and allied Rwandan forces have launched a new offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).   Breaking a ceasefire they had declared unilaterally – M23 fighters and Rwandan troops seized a mining town in South Kivu province, resuming their advance towards the provincial capital, Bukavu.   The UN said the battle for the key city of Goma, which M23 and Rwandan troops seized last week, had left at least 2,900 people dead.   Vivian van de Perre, the deputy chief of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), gave an updated toll from the battle for the city.   “So far, 2,000 bodies have been collected from the Goma streets in recent days, and 900 bodies remain in the morgues of the Goma hospitals,” she told a news conference, saying the toll could still rise.   International criminal court prosecutors said in a statement they were “closely following” events in the eastern DRC, “including the grave escalation of violence over the past weeks”.   In Bukavu, a city of one million people that residents fear will become the next battleground, a crowd gathered for an ecumenical prayer service for peace, organised by local women. “We are tired of the non-stop wars. We want peace,” Jacqueline Ngengele, one of those who attended, told AFP.   http://www.msf.org/assistance-needed-people-leaving-and-staying-goma-drc-following-weeks-violence http://www.msf.org/democratic-republic-congo-drc http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/02/13/dr-congo-m23-drives-displaced-people-goma-camps http://africa.oxfam.org/latest/press-release/nearly-half-million-people-left-without-shelter-food-or-water-dr-congo-amid http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2025/02/serious-human-rights-concerns-situation-eastern-drc-deteriorates http://srdefenders.org/information/extreme-concern-for-the-security-of-human-rights-defenders-in-eastern-drc-en-fr/ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/05/democratic-republic-congo-goma-women-raped-burned-death-prison-m23-rebels-rwanda http://www.fidh.org/en/region/Africa/democratic-republic-of-congo/drc-open-letter-to-the-african-union-on-the-occasion-of-its-38th http://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/peace_in_the_drc_loc/ http://www.oikoumene.org/news/protestants-and-catholics-in-congo-launch-roadmap-to-peace   30 Jan. 2025   The extremely serious humanitarian situation in Goma requires immediate attention. (OCHA)   The Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Bruno Lemarquis, reiterates his deep concern over the critical situation in Goma. After several days of intense fighting, the city is now facing the devastating consequences of the hostilities, with massive humanitarian needs and severely strained response capacities.   Medical facilities are overwhelmed. Between 23 and 28 January, the hospitals in the city of Goma, supported by MSF, the ICRC and the WHO, treated more than 1,000 wounded, many of them civilians who had fallen victim to bullets and heavy artillery explosions. The lack of medicines, equipment and medical staff is jeopardizing the treatment of the wounded and increasing the risk of loss of life.   Basic services are largely paralyzed. Electricity and drinking water have been cut off for several days, forcing the population to draw directly on untreated water from Lake Kivu. This situation exposes thousands of people to the immediate risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera. The morgues are full, and the lifeless bodies left in the streets of the city pose a major health risk for the survivors.   Humanitarian infrastructure and warehouses have been looted, severely compromising the humanitarian response. Significant quantities of food, medicines, and essential medical supplies have been lost in targeted attacks on United Nations agencies and humanitarian NGOs critical to the emergency response.   This loss delays the rapid delivery of aid to populations in desperate need. Humanitarian actors on the ground continue their operations despite extremely precarious conditions. On behalf of all the humanitarian actors serving vulnerable populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I condemn in the strongest possible terms the looting of humanitarian facilities and warehouses.   These acts are unacceptable and constitute a violation of international humanitarian law. They directly compromise the delivery of vital aid to the most vulnerable populations.   I call on all parties to protect civilians and ensure their access to goods and services essential to their survival. I also call on all parties to facilitate, accelerate and protect the supply of humanitarian actors. Without supplies of essential goods, fuel and logistical equipment, it will be impossible to meet the needs of the population and to maintain humanitarian operations in Goma.   I call for the immediate opening of vital access points for humanitarian supplies and emergency response efforts, and the free movement of affected populations.   I also call for the strict respect of the rights of internally displaced persons and for all returns to be voluntary. Returns can only take place under safe, voluntary, and dignified conditions, in accordance with international principles. It is imperative to ensure that displaced persons have a free and informed choice, as well as secure and viable conditions for their return.   I call on the international community to step up its support in the face of a worsening humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian actors remain on the ground, mobilized to scale up their response, but without adequate resources, the current crisis risks deteriorating even further. Immediate action is essential.   On behalf of the entire humanitarian community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I reaffirm that the principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence of humanitarian actors are absolute and non-negotiable. Their sole mission is to provide assistance and protection to vulnerable populations, regardless of political considerations.   http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/extremely-serious-humanitarian-situation-goma-requires-immediate-attention-international-community http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-lifeline-drc-under-threat-ingos-call-urgent-action http://www.acaps.org/en/countries/archives/detail/drc-conflict-escalation-in-goma-north-kivu http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/fear-mounts-as-violence-spreads-in-eastern-drc http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/un-experts-call-urgent-humanitarian-relief-and-political-solution-protect http://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/RES/S-37/1 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2025/01/drc-deepening-human-rights-crisis-amid-reports-further-m23-advances http://tinyurl.com/y64td2fr http://phr.org/news/doctors-trapped-in-hospitals-clinics-under-fire-in-eastern-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-drc-phr http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/drc-conflict-food-prices-skyrocket-goma-conflict-blocks-food-supplies http://reliefweb.int/country/cod   27 Jan. 2025   Children caught in heavy fighting in the town of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must be protected with Save the Children concerned for their safety amid the worst escalation of violence in the country in more than a decade.   Currently about 2-3 million people live in Goma, including 1 million displaced people. Save the Children estimates over half of those – or over 1.5 million - are children.   People are trying to flee but with nowhere to go. Children have been affected in the chaos in and out of Goma.   Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director for DRC said:   “The situation is complex and horrific. There is no safe place to go from Goma. Every time a family flees the guns and bombs to a supposed safe place, they are forced to move again.   “Children have lost their parents. It’s a horrible, horrible place to be a child at the moment.. We have heard horrific reports of gang rape and violence against young children in recent weeks, and we hold grave fears for the wellbeing and safety of the children remaining in Goma or fleeing for their lives.   “Displacement camps on the outskirts of Goma have been emptied as people flee once again in search of safety. Thousands of families escaping from violence in Minova – 30km from Goma - are now stranded in areas lacking clean water and food supplies.   “The situation is desperate, and we need urgent global action, now. We urge all parties involved in the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access. We reiterate our call on the international community to take immediate actions to address the rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis in the DRC. This includes providing emergency assistance to those displaced, supporting efforts to protect civilians and working towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.   "What we ask most is peace to return, calm to return, so children can be safe and we can continue our essential humanitarian work.”   Conflict in DRC has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with nearly 7 million people, including at least 3.5 million children, displaced and more than 26 million people – or one in every four people – in need of humanitarian assistance.   http://www.savethechildren.net/news/drc-over-15-million-children-need-protection-goma-faces-heavy-fighting-save-children http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159631 http://www.wfp.org/stories/photos-wfp-urges-action-conflict-pushes-displacement-and-hunger-east-drc http://www.wfp.org/news/crisis-eastern-drc-escalates-leads-greater-humanitarian-and-protection-needs http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-catastrophe-unfolds-north-and-south-kivu-violence-escalates-ingos-call-immediate-action   26 Jan. 2025 (AP, agencies)   Democratic Republic of Congo: The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group and allied forces have entered the outskirts of the provincial capital Goma, home to over one million people on Sunday and the airport in the key eastern city was no longer in use, the top UN official in the country said.   The United Nations special representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday that despite the support of international peacekeepers for the Congolese armed forces, M23 and Rwandan forces penetrated the Munigi quarter on the outskirts of Goma, “causing mass panic and flight amongst the population.” Munigi is 9 kilometers (5 miles) from Goma.   Keita said M23 fighters were advancing “as many of the populations were fleeing for their lives as fighting neared the capital.”   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his “strongest condemnation” of the M23 military offensive “with the support of the Rwanda Defense Forces,” and called on the rebel group to immediately halt all hostile action and withdraw its forces.   Congo, the United States and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23 rebels. Rwanda’s government has acknowledged that it has troops (at least 4,000 according to the UN) and missile systems in eastern Congo to supposedly safeguard its security, in the mineral-rich region.   The Congolese Foreign Ministry said it was severing diplomatic ties with Rwanda and pulling out all diplomatic staff from the country “with immediate effect.”   On Sunday morning, heavy gunfire resonated across Goma, just a few kilometers (miles) from the front line. Scores of displaced children and adults fled the Kanyaruchinya camp, one of the largest in eastern Congo and headed south to Goma.   “We are fleeing because we saw soldiers on the border with Rwanda throwing bombs and shooting,” said Safi Shangwe, who was heading to Goma. “We are afraid, our children are at risk of starving,” she said.   Displaced people are worried they will not be safe in Goma, either. “We are going to Goma, but I heard that there are bombs in Goma, too, so now we don’t know where to go,” said Adele Shimiye.   Bintou Keita, said over 26 million people across Congo are in need humanitarian aid, “one of the highest numbers worldwide,” and the situation in the east is rapidly deteriorating.   “If hostilities spill into Goma – a densely populated urban center – the impact on civilians could well be devastating”.   Earlier in the week, M23 rebels seized Sake, 27 kilometers (16 miles) from Goma, as concerns mounted that the city could soon fall.   Since 2021, Congo’s government and allied forces, including SAMIDRC and UN troops, have been keeping M23 away from Goma. The UN peacekeeping force entered Congo more than two decades ago and has around 14,000 peacekeepers on the ground.   http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/drc-turk-calls-urgent-action-stem-grave-human-rights-crisis-goma http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2025/01/drc-risk-imminent-attack-goma http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-coordinator-expresses-deep-concern-over-impact-intensified-fighting-around-goma-civilians-and-humanitarian-operations http://www.unocha.org/news/scale-suffering-dr-congo-demands-urgent-attention-un-deputy-relief-chief-tells-security http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159396 http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-01-23/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-scroll-down-for-french-version http://news.un.org/en/audio/2025/01/1159416 http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unhcr-gravely-concerned-worsening-violence-and-humanitarian-crisis-eastern-dr   http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/25/dr-congo-civilians-risk-m23-approaches-goma http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/01/dr-congo-rwandan-backed-armed-group-and-congolese-army-must-stop-using-explosive-weapons-in-densely-populated-areas http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/escalating-violence-eastern-dr-congo-displaces-more-230-000-start-year http://www.internal-displacement.org/expert-analysis/m23-conflict-caused-nearly-3-out-of-every-4-displacements-in-the-drc-this-year/   http://theelders.org/news/elders-call-dialogue-and-accountability-end-worsening-conflict-dr-congo http://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/great-lakes/democratic-republic-congo/turbulence-drc-raises-hard-questions-eu http://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/great-lakes/democratic-republic-congo/fall-drcs-goma-urgent-action-needed-avert-regional-war http://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/great-lakes/democratic-republic-congo-rwanda/can-diplomacy-stop-rwandan-backed-rebels http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2025/01/31/drc-goma-capture-sparks-fears-deeper-regional-conflict-rwanda-backed-rebels-m23 http://www.passblue.com/2025/02/02/goma-congo-understanding-the-m23-and-rdf-attack/ http://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr/publications/chinas-illegal-mining-operations-democratic-republic-congo http://www.ipsnews.net/2025/01/greed-cynicism-fuel-rwandas-war-drc/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/30/major-problems-mining-industrys-new-certification-standard http://www.business-humanrights.org/en/from-us/briefings/stop-and-listen-pathways-to-meaningful-engagement-with-rights-holders-in-the-global-rush-to-mine-for-transition-minerals/   * UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo report Dec. 2024 (160pp): http://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/373/37/pdf/n2437337.pdf http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/urgent-need-for-the-un-human-rights-council-to-create-an-independent-mandate-to-investigate-rights-violations-and-abuses-by-all-parties-in-eastern-democratic-republic-of-congo/   Oct. 2024   Armed violence, soaring food prices leave 25.6 million people in high levels of acute food insecurity. (FAO)   Armed violence and conflict continue to affect the livelihoods of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This, combined with soaring food prices and the prolonged effects of various epidemics have left approximately 25.6 million in high levels of acute food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse).   Between July to December 2024, some 3.1 million people are facing critical levels of food insecurity – IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) – characterized by large food gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition. Another 19 percent (22.4 million people) a Visit the related web page
	2024 one of the worst years in UNICEF’s history for children in conflict by UNICEF, Save the Chidren, Education cannot Wait   The impact of armed conflicts on children around the world reached devastating and likely record levels in 2024, according to a review by UNICEF of the latest available data and prevailing global trends.   More children than ever are estimated to be either living in conflict zones or forcibly displaced due to conflict and violence. A record number of children affected by conflict are having their rights violated, including being killed and injured, out of school, missing life-saving vaccines, and being critically malnourished.   The number is only expected to grow. Conflict drives approximately 80 per cent of all humanitarian needs around the world, disrupting access to essentials, including safe water, food and healthcare.   Over 473 million children—more than one in six globally—now live in areas affected by conflict, with the world experiencing the highest number of conflicts since World War II. The percentage of the world’s children living in conflict zones has doubled—from around 10 per cent in the 1990s to almost 19 per cent today.   By the end of 2023, 47.2 million children had been displaced due to conflict and violence, with trends in 2024 indicating additional displacement due to the intensification of conflicts, including in Haiti, Lebanon, Myanmar, the State of Palestine, and Sudan.   Children account for 30 per cent of the global population, yet on average account for roughly 40 per cent of refugee populations and 49 per cent of internally displaced people.   In countries affected by conflict, on average over a third of the population is poor (34.8 per cent) compared to just over 10 per cent in non-conflict-affected countries.   “By almost every measure, 2024 has been one of the worst years on record for children in conflict in UNICEF’s history—both in terms of the number of children affected and the level of impact on their lives,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.   “A child growing up in a conflict zone is far more likely to be out of school, malnourished, or forced from their home—too often repeatedly—compared to a child living in places of peace. This must not be the new normal. We cannot allow a generation of children to become collateral damage to the world’s unchecked wars.”   In the latest available data, from 2023, the United Nations verified a record 32,990 grave violations against 22,557 children—the highest number since Security Council-mandated monitoring began. With the overall upward trend in the number of grave violations—for example, thousands of children have been killed and injured in Gaza, and in Ukraine, the UN verified more child casualties during the first 9 months of 2024 than during all of 2023—this year is likely to see another increase.   The situation for women and girls is particularly concerning, with widespread reports of rape and sexual violence in conflict settings. In Haiti, so far this year, there has been a 1,000 per cent increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against children. In situations of armed conflict, children with disabilities also tend to be disproportionately exposed to violence and rights violations.   Education has been severely disrupted in conflict zones. More than 52 million children in countries affected by conflict are estimated to be out of school. Children in the Gaza Strip, and a significant portion of children in Sudan, have missed out on more than a year of school, while in countries such as Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria, schools have been damaged, destroyed or repurposed, leaving millions of children without access to learning.   The destruction of educational infrastructure and insecurity near schools have exacerbated an already dire situation for children’s education in these regions.   Malnutrition among children in conflict zones has also risen to alarming levels, as conflict and armed violence continue to be the primary drivers of hunger in numerous hotspots, disrupting food systems, displacing populations, and obstructing humanitarian access.   For example, in Sudan, famine conditions were determined in North Darfur, the first famine determination since 2017. In 2024, more than half a million people in five conflict-affected countries are estimated to be living in IPC Phase 5 conditions, the most extreme food insecurity situations.   Conflicts are also having devastating effect on children’s access to critical healthcare. Around forty per cent of un- and under-vaccinated children live in countries that are either partially or entirely affected by conflict. These children are often the most vulnerable to disease outbreaks like measles and polio, because of disruptions and lack of access to security, nutrition, and health services.   The impact on children’s mental health is also huge. Exposure to violence, destruction and loss of loved ones can manifest in children through reactions such as depression, nightmares and difficulty sleeping, aggressive or withdrawn behaviour, sadness and fear, among others.   2024 has become the deadliest on record for humanitarian personnel, with the recorded deaths of 281 aid workers globally, surpassing previous records.   “Children in war zones face a daily struggle for survival that deprives them of a childhood,” said Russell. “Their schools are bombed, homes destroyed, and families torn apart. They lose not only their safety and access to basic life-sustaining necessities, but also their chance to play, to learn, and to simply be children. The world is failing these children. As we look towards 2025, we must do more to turn the tide and save and improve the lives of children."   UNICEF is calling for all parties to conflict, and for those with influence over them, to take decisive action to end the suffering of children, to ensure their rights are upheld, and to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/not-new-normal-2024-one-worst-years-unicefs-history-children-conflict http://www.unicef.org/children-under-attack http://www.unicef.org/topics/armed-conflict http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1158561 http://www.savethechildren.net/news/2024-review-one-three-children-conflict-and-fragile-countries-out-school-new-analysis http://www.educationcannotwait.org/news-stories/postcards-the-edge http://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/2024/06/2023-alarming-levels-of-violence-inflicted-on-children-in-situation-of-armed-conflict/ Visit the related web page
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