World Humanitarian Day 2024: Message from Bruno Lemarquis, Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of Congo – Democratic Republic of Congo

Kinshasa, August 19, 2024 – Today, August 19, we commemorate World Humanitarian Day.
We honor those who risk their lives to help the world’s most vulnerable.
This year’s commemoration takes on a special significance in the context of the Democratic Republic of Congo, given the escalation of attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers. Six humanitarian workers were killed and 11 kidnapped between January and June this year, with more than 200 incidents directly targeting humanitarian workers in the field.

The memory of our two colleagues who were killed on June 30 when groups of armed youth set fire to a humanitarian convoy in Butembo is still vivid in our minds.
Humanitarian workers must not be targeted under any circumstances.

In recent weeks, we have also seen a disturbing increase in attacks by armed groups against civilians in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Between January and July, more than 630 civilians were tragically killed in the Mambasa and Irumu territories of Ituri, and in the Béni and Lubero territories of North Kivu. These attacks have led to tens of thousands of displaced people and the temporary suspension of humanitarian assistance in certain areas.

Despite the gravity of these killings and suffering, the world has not shown enough outrage over this catastrophic situation. This lack of collective outrage, this tolerance for violence, raises deep questions about our humanity and our ability to prevent and respond to the systematic violence that is claiming the lives of innocent civilians. That is why I call the crisis in the DRC not only one of the most neglected in the world, but also one of the most tolerated.
It is imperative that the voices of those who are suffering are heard and that concrete measures are taken to end this unbearable cycle of violence that has been going on for decades and to protect the most vulnerable.

We cannot allow this kind of violence to become accepted as normal. It is simply unacceptable.
The theme of this year’s World Humanitarian Day commemoration, “Act for Humanity,” is a call to action.

We must act to protect civilians and humanitarian workers from violence; we must act against impunity for the perpetrators of attacks on humanitarian workers and civilians. We must act for peace.

If we fail to protect civilians and aid workers, we fail to uphold basic human rights principles and we fail to provide assistance to those in need.
This spiral of violence and suffering destroys the foundations of social cohesion and peace.
In addition, schools and health centres are being destroyed, depriving thousands of children of their right to education and entire communities of access to essential health care.
United Nations Nations Unions In the first half of 2024, approximately 7.3 million people were displaced in the DRC. This equates to more than 400,000 newly displaced people since December 2023.
The massive displacement of populations as a result of the armed conflict, combined with the resulting precarious living conditions, creates a fertile ground for sexual violence against women and girls and for survival sex. It also contributes to the rapid spread of epidemics such as cholera, measles and smallpox in the areas affected by the violence.

Despite these challenges, the United Nations and local and international NGOs remain more committed than ever to providing the necessary assistance to those affected by these crises, in close cooperation with national authorities.
Yet, the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan is currently only 35 percent funded, leaving hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people behind. We are extremely grateful to our partners and donors for their support, as we recognize the many priorities at the global level. But we urge them to always do more.

During my recent field visits to Bunia, Djugu, Goma, Beni and Oicha, the hundreds of Congolese women and men I met asked for just one thing: Amani. Amani. Amani.
The Congolese people are fed up with the war. They want peace. The displaced want to go home and return to their normal lives, to work their land. The children want to go to school.

While humanitarian aid is essential to help the affected population, it is not a solution to humanitarian problems.
We must address the root causes of the conflict and the subsequent spiral of violence and ruined lives. We must empower the people and enable the DRC to fully move towards development. It is essential that:

• all stakeholders participate fully in the search for political solutions

• secondly, that every effort is made to address the root causes of the conflict, in particular the issues surrounding land, the illegal exploitation of natural resources and illicit financial flows.

• and finally, that every effort is made to support the implementation of durable solutions for displaced people where possible and to operationalise the triple nexus of Humanitarian Development and Peace to reduce humanitarian needs.

Let’s take action together for humanity.

******* For further information please contact:

Carla Martinez, Head of Office, OCHA-DRC, +243817061223, [email protected]

Jean Jonas Tossa, Press Officer, +243817061220, [email protected],
Information products on the humanitarian situation in the DRC are available at www.reliefweb.int