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DR Congo

The 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan for the Democratic Republic of Congo will provide urgent assistance to 9.6 million vulnerable people. A budget of US$1.98 billion will be required to meet these needs

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Kinshasa, 04 February 2021. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to face a complex and deep humanitarian crisis. 19.6 million people will need assistance and protection in 2021, an increase from 15.6 million at the beginning of 2020.

In 2020, the humanitarian situation in the DRC has been especially difficult. Armed conflict and violence, epidemics, natural disasters, and the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 have considerably exacerbated already existing vulnerabilities, in a context marked by a structural lack of access to essential services. Despite these challenges, the humanitarian community was able to assist 6 million people thanks to the efforts of partners and the generosity of donors.

In 2021, the population of DRC will continue to face pressing humanitarian needs. With 5.2 million displaced persons, the DRC currently hosts the second largest number of internally displaced persons in the world. The country also hosts 527,000 refugees from neighboring countries. Food insecurity has reached the highest level ever recorded. According to the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, 19.6 million people will face severe and acute food insecurity between January and June 2021. More than 3.4 million children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition.

"Armed conflicts continue to have a major impact on an already very vulnerable population whose gains are still fragile, particularly in the east of the country. The humanitarian situation could worsen if assistance is not provided quickly to meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable," warned David McLachlan-Karr, Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC.

The Humanitarian Response Plan for 2021 is a unified appeal representing the activities of more than 400 operational partners: national NGOs, international NGOs and UN agencies - involved in the humanitarian response in the DRC, in coordination with the efforts of the Congolese Government. The total request in the appeal is US$1.98 billion which is required to meet the needs of 9.6 million Congolese. Last year, (2020), only 36 percent of the budget required for the humanitarian response plan (US$2.012 billion) was secured. "The humanitarian response is under stress globally due to multiple demands and competing crises.

However, regional stability will also depend on the stabilization in the Democratic Republic of Congo, on conflict resolution, on humanitarian assistance and on contributions to longer-term development. In 2021, we will need the generous contributions of donors to finance the Humanitarian Response Plan; to save lives, to assist the most vulnerable populations, ensure their access to basic social services and strengthen the protection of the millions of people affected by the crisis," stated David McLachlan-Karr.

For more information, please contact: Karen Perrin, Head of Office a.i., OCHA-DRC perrink@un.org Information products on the humanitarian situation in the DRC are available on www.humanitarianresponse.info or www.reliefweb.int

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