UN relief chief Tom Fletcher continued his visit Wednesday to the conflict-ravaged eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
More than 20 million people in this region urgently need humanitarian assistance, Fletcher said after meetings in the capital, Kinshasa.
In Minova, South Kivu, he toured a vital water supply and waste management project aiding displaced and local residents.
He also visited a mobile clinic providing essential healthcare to those wounded and sick from ongoing violence.
Later, Fletcher traveled to Sasha city, another hotspot deeply affected by the relentless conflict.
In Goma, North Kivu’s provincial capital, he met local communities and humanitarian partners to assess urgent needs across the region.
The visit will continue on Thursday in Goma as Fletcher seeks to deepen relief efforts amid growing crises.
Since December, the M23 rebel group has seized significant territory, including the key cities of Goma and Bukavu.
This territorial gain has intensified instability in a region already battered by years of armed conflict.
The Congolese government accuses neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, a charge Rwanda denies outright.
The UN estimates more than 7.8 million people have been displaced by the violence tearing eastern Congo apart.
Fletcher’s visit underscores the urgent humanitarian crisis gripping the region and the dire need for sustained international support.
