Ituri faces dire humanitarian crisis with over 3 million needing aid: OCHA

The humanitarian crisis in Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has reached alarming levels, with over 3 million people requiring urgent assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The figures, presented in Bunia, reveal a complex web of needs: nearly 1.1 million displaced individuals, over 600,000 returnees, and approximately 1.5 million people suffering from acute food insecurity. This dire situation is a direct consequence of persistent insecurity, which fuels new displacements and hinders access to essential services like farming and healthcare.

While some areas have seen security improvements, allowing thousands of displaced people to return to their villages, these returnees often arrive with nothing. They require substantial support to rebuild homes, restart agricultural activities, and re-establish livelihoods.

Compounding these challenges is the ongoing Ebola epidemic, which further strains already limited resources and increases humanitarian needs. Despite the scale of the crisis, humanitarian organizations report a critical funding shortfall, severely hampering their capacity to assist the nearly 2 million displaced and returned individuals needing emergency aid.

Provincial Governor Gen. Gaby Kasongo has appealed for sustained and increased support from both national and international communities. "The province of Ituri... needs constant and lasting support," Kasongo stated. "Behind every reduction in resources are families deprived of care, children exposed to malnutrition, and entire communities left without protection. We need concrete and renewed solidarity."

Humanitarian actors warn that years of underfunding have led to the reduction or suspension of vital assistance programs, leaving countless displaced families in a state of extreme precarity.

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The province of l’Ituri, l'Est de la République démocratique du Congo, has besoin d'un soutien constant et durable. Derrière chaque réduction des ressources se trouvent des familles privées de soins, des enfants exposés à la malnutrition et des communautés entières laissées sans protection. Nous avons besoin d'une solidarité concrète et renouvelée.