WFP: 27.7 million in Democratic Republic of Congo face acute food insecurity, conflict and market closures worsen crisis

The World Food Programme said its new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis shows 27,700,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing acute food insecurity, including 3,900,000 in IPC Phase 4.

Jean Marthe Bauer, director of food security and nutrition analysis at the World Food Programme, said in a Feb. 2025 briefing that the number is “an unprecedented level. This is, the highest level on record that we've seen in the country.” He said the increase since the previous IPC stems from accelerated displacement and the economic impact of insecurity in eastern DRC.

The IPC findings are concentrated in eastern provinces. Bauer said the internally displaced population has been “quite affected,” and that the WFP analysis recorded an increase of about 2,500,000 people in need since the last IPC…