DRC - Aid Agencies Hampered by Looting and Lack of Funds: Fidèle Kitsa and Emmet Livingston / The New Humanitarian

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Summary

In Goma, the humanitarian aid response has been severely hampered by insecurity, looting, and a lack of funding. Aid organizations are struggling to provide help due to restricted access, damaged infrastructure, and a freeze on U.S. funding, which had previously accounted for nearly 70% of the humanitarian support in the region. The city, a hub for humanitarian aid, has seen a sharp increase in violence, looting, and vigilante justice. Local residents, despite the challenges, have been supporting each other through mutual aid and charity. Meanwhile, the M23 has been dismantling displacement camps, forcing people to leave and adding further uncertainty to the already fragile situation.

Quotes

“There is an urgent need to set up humanitarian corridors so that aid operations in Goma can be re-established and reinforcements sent.”

“None of us will be able to respond to the needs with the means we have.”