Bruno Lemarquis, the Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and UN Resident Coordinator to the DRC, revealed alarming statistics regarding the situation in North Kivu. He reported that from January to June of this year, six humanitarian workers were killed, 11 were kidnapped, and there were more than 200 incidents directly targeting humanitarian personnel in the region
Lemarquis emphasized the severe crisis in North Kivu, where relentless violence, forced displacement, and attacks on aid workers continue with little attention from the international community. He expressed deep concern over the global indifference, stating, “The extreme violence and suffering faced by the local population have not sparked the necessary outrage worldwide.” He added, “This tolerance raises serious questions about our collective humanity and our ability to prevent and respond to the systematic violence that devastates innocent lives. The crisis in North Kivu stands not only as one of the most neglected but also as one of the most tolerated.”
The humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to escalate, with the UN reporting that approximately 7.3 million people have been displaced in the first half of 2024, an increase of 400,000 since December 2023.
Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, highlighted the brutal impact on women and girls, who are being targeted for sexual violence as part of a deliberate strategy to drive communities from their homes. The crisis has also led to the rapid spread of diseases such as cholera, measles, and monkeypox. Lemarquis pointed out the international community’s alarming indifference, evidenced by the fact that the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan is only 35% funded, leaving hundreds of thousands of vulnerable individuals without crucial support.
In North Kivu, the central conflict pits the Congolese army, supported by various “self-defense” militias, against the M23 movement, which is backed by Rwanda. This province, along with neighboring South Kivu and Ituri, is rife with numerous armed groups, including the jihadist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
The region’s instability is driven by a combination of ethnic, tribal, political, and economic factors. A significant aspect of the conflict is the exploitation of the area’s rich natural resources, including timber, coltan, gold, and tin, which various warring factions vie for control over, exacerbating the ongoing turmoil.
