The security situation remains dire in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with at least 165,000 people displaced due to ongoing conflicts in March 2024 alone, as reported by the United Nations on Monday, April 8th. These significant population movements occurred while the Movement of March 23rd (M23), supported by neighboring Rwanda, still controls parts of North Kivu province.
According to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO), currently undergoing withdrawal, the security context in eastern DRC is highly volatile, with the rebel group M23 maintaining positions around Sake, a city located about twenty kilometers west of the provincial capital, Goma.
As a consequence of this deteriorating situation, significant new population movements took place in March. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 165,000 people were displaced due to the conflicts in March 2024 alone.
Fighting in Rutshuru and Masisi led to population movements towards neighboring territories such as Lubero, Walikale, and Kalehe in South Kivu, but particularly towards Goma, the provincial capital already hosting over one million displaced persons.
The camps are overcrowded, and infrastructure is lacking. According to OCHA, over 460,000 people received food assistance in March in North Kivu. However, not all displaced persons have access to humanitarian programs, such as in Kanyabayonga, straddling Rutshuru and Lubero, where tens of thousands have sought refuge.
Food shortages persist, and according to civil society reports, malnutrition has led to several recent deaths.
Humanitarian organizations consistently raise alarms about the situation in North Kivu. The needs are immense, but funding falls short. To highlight, in 2023, only 40% of the humanitarian response plan for the DRC was financed.