Critical funding shortages are depriving thousands of people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of lifesaving assistance, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned on Friday.
“Severe funding gaps are crippling humanitarian efforts in eastern DRC and beyond, leaving thousands without essential aid and pushing an already dire situation closer to catastrophe,” UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun told reporters in Geneva.
The ongoing conflict between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army has displaced hundreds of thousands within the country, while more than 100,000 people have fled to neighboring states in under three months, according to UNHCR. Rwanda has denied allegations that it supports M23.
Shelters that previously accommodated around 400,000 people uprooted by fighting near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, have been destroyed, leaving families exposed without protection, UNHCR reported.
“With funding cuts, humanitarian agencies are struggling to rebuild shelters, leaving displaced people with few options for survival,” the agency warned.
