UN humanitarian coordinator warns of worsening crisis after Goma fighting, funding freeze hampers aid

Bridal Lemaki, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, told media that escalating fighting in eastern DRC — including the January 27 capture of Goma by the M23 armed group — has caused mass displacement, strained hospitals and interrupted aid deliveries.

Lemaki said the province’s security situation remains “extremely volatile,” citing advances by M23 and other armed groups, including an attack in Ituri that he said killed at least 52 civilians. He warned that fighting is ongoing and that M23 “may use alternative routes to progress towards the town of Bukavu in the coming days,” raising the prospect of further civilian harm and displacement.

The United Nations official described extensive humanitarian disruption in the city of Goma and surrounding areas: public services are only partly functional, water and electricity are not fully restored, hospitals are overwhelmed, mortuaries are saturated, and the risk of…