A senior UN official has warned that President Donald Trump’s suspension of foreign aid severely impacts humanitarian efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Bruno Lemarquis, the UN’s deputy special representative for the DRC, described worsening insecurity in North Kivu and South Kivu due to escalating clashes and the M23 rebels’ rapid advance.
“The Goma airport, our main humanitarian lifeline, remains closed,” he said, warning of medical shortages and rising epidemic risks.
The DRC, the largest recipient of US aid in 2024, relied on US funding for 70% of its $1.3 billion humanitarian assistance.
Since January 26, over 3,000 people have been killed, 500,000 displaced, and millions face worsening conditions amid accusations of Rwandan support for M23 rebels, which Kigali denies.
