Scale of hunger crisis in DR Congo 'staggering': UN

By Rodrigue Forku

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AA) – The food security situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains dire with one in three people suffering from acute hunger, two UN agencies warned on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said the number of people affected by high acute food insecurity in the DRC is estimated at 27.3 million or one in three people.

“For the first time ever we were able to analyze the vast majority of the population, and this has helped us to come closer to the true picture of the staggering scale of food insecurity in the DRC,” said Peter Musoko, the WFP's representative in DRC.

“This country should be able to feed its population and export a surplus. We cannot have children going to bed hungry and families skipping meals for an entire day.”

The statement said conflict remains a key cause of hunger in the Central African country with large swathes of the conflict-affected eastern provinces of Ituri, North and South Kivu and Tanganyika, as well as the central region of the Kasais, the scene of recent conflict, the worst hit.

“Other key factors compounding this crisis include the slump in DRC's economy and the socio-economic impact of COVID-19,” it added.

The UN agencies called for urgent intervention to scale up support to Congolese in crisis areas.

The DRC has been plagued by violence for years as several rebel groups fight with each other or against the country’s military and the UN forces for territorial control.

According to the UN, illicit exploitation of natural resources continues to be a root-cause and driver of conflict, with most armed groups having set aside their political demands and being involved in mineral trafficking.

“The recurring conflicts in eastern DRC and the suffering they bring remain of great concern. Social and political stability is essential to strengthen food security and boost the resilience of vulnerable populations,” said Aristide Ongone Obame, the FAO’s representative in DRC.