In recent months, the situation in eastern DR Congo has significantly worsened, marked by a severe lack of attention and support from the international community. The region is grappling with extreme levels of violence, hunger, and displacement, yet funding, media coverage, and assistance remain inadequate. This neglect is particularly concerning given the immense humanitarian crisis unfolding, with 25 million people left to confront starvation, disease, and attacks largely on their own.

NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland, who recently visited Ituri Province, emphasized the unforgivable lack of attention to the unprecedented suffering in eastern Congo, labeling it as the largest hunger crisis globally. The dire conditions include armed groups attacking vulnerable families, sexual violence against women and girls, children unable to attend school, dwindling food supplies, and a scarcity of drinking water. This, in conjunction with recent military campaigns and massacres, has created an acute emergency in a region already plagued by decades of crisis and neglect.

Despite the severity of the situation, less than a third of the required funding for the planned humanitarian response in DR Congo has been received by August 2023. Egeland highlights the unacceptability of aid agencies being forced into impossible choices about whom to help, and he criticizes the lack of fair contributions from wealthy nations, corporations, and individuals.

The violence in Ituri Province has led to the displacement of over 550,000 people in recent months, contributing to a total of 1.7 million displaced individuals. Attacks, such as the one in June on the Lala displacement site resulting in the tragic death of 46 people, including many children and elderly, further underscore the urgent need for international support.

The situation in Ituri is described as a neglected emergency within an already overlooked crisis, with armed groups attacking civilians with impunity and a lack of protection for the vulnerable. More than 750,000 children in Ituri alone have had their education disrupted due to armed conflict, leading to increased risks of exploitation, trafficking, forced marriage, and recruitment into armed groups.

Egeland stresses the importance of restoring education and training for children to break the devastating cycle of violence and suffering. However, the overall neglect of suffering in DR Congo reflects a global gap between pledged aid resources and the actual needs on the ground. With over 25 million people struggling daily to meet their basic needs, DR Congo stands as the largest hunger emergency globally, yet it has been one of the most neglected displacement crises for seven consecutive years.

The meager funding provided for DR Congo comes from a limited group of contributors, and the country is facing a substantial funding shortfall. The education sector is particularly affected, with more than one-third of children out of school and numerous schools closed across Ituri. Additionally, the prevalence of sexual violence, especially in conflict-affected communities, adds to the complexity of the crisis.

NRC, a key responder in DR Congo since 2001, is actively providing assistance and protection to displaced individuals, covering shelter, protection, water and sanitation, and education. Despite numerous humanitarian crises globally facing significant funding shortfalls, the disparity in aid raised per person in need is striking, with only 25 cents raised for the world's 10 most neglected crises for every dollar raised for those in need in Ukraine.

In 2022, the number of people in need in DRC exceeded that of Ukraine, but the funding secured was significantly lower, highlighting the urgent need for the international community to step up financially, politically, and diplomatically to address the escalating crisis in eastern DR Congo. The EAC must also step up efforts in confronting Ugand and Rwanda who are the biggest players in the conflict in Eastern DRC. The minerals belong to Congo and her people! Save African Lives!