Eastern Congo crisis: Fire of war, sword of hunger

Since gaining independence in 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has known no stability. Its civilians have endured nothing but killing, displacement, and famine — particularly in the eastern regions.

Eastern Congo stands as one of the most complex conflict zones in Africa, and indeed in the world, due to the intertwining historical, political, ethnic, economic, and security dimensions that converge there.

The provinces of North and South Kivu remain the epicentre of these conflicts, which, alongside regional dynamics, have “fuelled instability and exacerbated civilian suffering and humanitarian challenges,” according to the United Nations.

Many residents of Goma face dire humanitarian conditions, as basic services remain paralysed. A shortage of water and electricity has forced residents to rely on Lake Kivu, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, the same source reported.

A Complex Crisis

Meanwhile, developments in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have witnessed a dramatic escalation in violence and a tragic return to the scenarios of war and division in recent years, marked by the resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23) as a major armed actor in the military landscape and the rise of extremist ethnic rhetoric, according to researcher Ahmed Sidqi Al-Yamani.

He noted “the deepening of political fragmentation amid the weakness of the Kinshasa government and the inaction of the international community. By February 2025, the situation had grown even more complicated, as war once again surged to the forefront, and the regional dimensions of the conflict intensified.”

He added, “The new phase of deterioration can clearly be traced back to late 2021, when the M23 movement re-emerged after years of relative quiet, launching attacks against government forces in North Kivu and swiftly seizing strategic areas near Goma, the most important urban centre in the east. The group justified its return by citing the government’s failure to implement the 2013 Nairobi Agreement, which stipulated its disarmament and the integration of its fighters into the army, but was never fully enforced.”

He further pointed out that “from that moment, the conflict took an upward trajectory. The M23 was not merely a rebel group; it appeared more like a professional army, logistically and intelligence-wise supported by Rwanda, as confirmed by UN expert reports in 2022 and 2023.”

Millions at Risk

On the humanitarian front, the United Nations announced on 31 October 2025 that millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo face the threat of famine due to a sharp decline in external aid, warning that the crisis threatens to destabilise the entire region.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that nearly 27 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are expected to face “crisis levels of food insecurity or worse” by early next year. They added that “this includes around 4 million people experiencing emergency levels of hunger.”

The World Food Programme said that funding shortages had forced it to reduce the number of beneficiaries of its aid in the DRC from 2.3 million to 600,000 people this year, as its funding gap widened to $349 million.

The programme called for “the provision of $127 million in emergency funding,” warning that it would be forced to halt all aid by February if additional funds were not secured.

Cynthia Jones, the WFP’s acting country director in the DRC, stressed that “millions of lives are at risk, and this will lead to regional instability — now is the time to act.”

The United Nations also noted that “more than 3 million children in this country — home to 109 million people — suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.”

According to the WFP, “in the first four months of 2025, nearly 140,000 Congolese fled to neighbouring countries, with Burundi and Uganda receiving the largest numbers — 70,000 and 60,000 respectively.” It added, “The displaced have abandoned their farms, and many are deprived of basic services, including food, shelter, and healthcare.”

International Initiatives

As part of international efforts to assist the people of eastern Congo, the European Union announced on 4 March 2025 the establishment of a humanitarian air bridge to Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province in eastern DRC, to support residents facing the M23 rebel movement. The EU also released €47 million in aid.

The European Commission stated that “the air bridge, created with the support of France, will enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance — including medical and food supplies, as well as other emergency items — in cooperation with UNICEF and other humanitarian partners.”

Relief After Disasters

With the floods that struck the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 2025, the suffering of its people deepened, prompting urgent appeals to the international community for help.

Among the initiatives responding to these humanitarian calls was the intervention of the United Arab Emirates, which provided urgent humanitarian assistance to those affected by the floods across various regions of the DRC.

The intervention aimed to support the stability of affected communities and alleviate the suffering of populations hit by natural disasters and crises. The UAE Agency for International Aid, in coordination with the UAE Embassy in the DRC, “delivered humanitarian assistance — including essential food supplies and necessary shelter materials — to the needy, displaced persons, and affected families residing in temporary shelters.”

Anwar Othman Al Barout, UAE Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stated that “this urgent humanitarian aid reflects the international humanitarian responsibility undertaken by the UAE towards the friendly Congolese people, supporting them in such critical circumstances, and embodies the noble values of solidarity and human fraternity.”

Ongoing Support

Prior to that, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, directed the provision of urgent humanitarian aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The International Humanitarian City in Dubai dispatched a relief plane from Al Maktoum International Airport to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, to deliver emergency aid to neighbouring DRC.

The plane carried 93 metric tonnes of comprehensive relief supplies — including water purification units from the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot managed by the World Food Programme, as well as shelter materials and personal protective equipment — in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. These supplies, sourced from the warehouses of the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, were aimed at alleviating the worsening humanitarian crisis in Goma, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.