UK urgently aids, and urges others to aid Democratic Republic of Congo

Patel

The International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, has called for the international community to act now and not forget the millions of people displaced by increasing levels of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Patel’s call came as she announced vital lifesaving support for hundreds of thousands of victims of political insecurity and increasing levels of violence in the DRC.

The crises have forced 3.8 million people to flee their homes, resulting in widespread malnutrition, disease and suffering in many regions of the DRC.

She also called on international partners and the UN system to follow the UK’s lead and urgently step up support to this crisis, to prevent further unnecessary destruction and human suffering.

Over the next five years, DFID’s humanitarian support will include providing over 620,000 people with food assistance, 220,000 children under the age of 5 with vital nutrition, over 1.1 million people with access to clean drinking water, 900,000 with essential health care such as drugs for pregnant mothers, over 195,000 children with access to education, 12,000 survivors of trauma including gender-based violence with psychosocial support and counselling.

Patel added that “millions of innocent people are suffering from malnutrition and disease after being forced to flee their homes because of the horrific violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Families have been separated, homes destroyed and people are living in desperate conditions, in what is fast becoming one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

“The UK government has not hesitated to act and is leading the way by providing essential food, water and medicine, but it is vital the international community also urgently steps up to ensure the displaced people of the DRC are not forgotten.”