ReliefWeb

Highlights

• In 2019, WFP continues its corporate emergency response interventions, with the aim of assisting 5.1 million people with general food assistance and nutrition programmes and has already reached 1.5 million people during the first quarter.

• DRC’s tenth Ebola outbreak continues unabated, with over 1,300 cases and 800 deaths reported. Doing its part to fight Ebola, WFP provides critical operational support to the medical response teams and distributes food to Ebola contacts and others directly affected.

Situation Update

• DRC is the world’s second largest hunger crisis, after Yemen, with 13 million people living in acute food insecurity and five million children acutely malnourished. Armed conflict and ongoing displacement are major concerns particularly in eastern DRC, where such instability continues to fuel food insecurity. DRC faces internal displacement on a massive scale and this is a primary trigger for hunger. The Ebola epidemic continues to evolve, with a significant increase in the number of cases reported this year.
Congolese nationals expelled from Angola continue to return to DRC, albeit in fewer numbers, and an ethnic conflict in December in Yumbi territory in Mai-Ndombe province led to the killing of hundreds of people and the displacement of thousands.

• Political developments: Following the inauguration of President Felix Tshisekedi in January, fears of political turmoil have largely subsided. Tshisekedi is, however, yet to select his government and talks are ongoing with political parties and coalitions.

• Ebola: DRC’s tenth Ebola outbreak continues unabated with over 1,400 cases and 900 deaths reported. Doing its part to fight Ebola, WFP provides critical operational support to the medical response teams and distributes food to Ebola contacts and others directly affected. WFP’s critical logistical services enable a swift response in affected remote areas. Since the beginning of the outbreak, WFP has reached over 291,000 affected people through weekly food distributions.

• The outbreak continues to evolve in a particularly complex and challenging environment. Ongoing insecurity remains a major concern with Ebola Treatment Centres and other key response structures coming under attack in Katwa and Butembo. To help overcome community resistance and promote longer term recovery, WFP has launched a school feeding programme in Beni and Oicha, assisting some 34,000 school children in 54 schools.

• Insecurity: Conflict and insecurity continue to be major challenges for humanitarian access and assistance, particularly in eastern DRC. In North Kivu, clashes between armed groups and the Congolese armed forces have led to the displacement of over 40,000 people this year in Masisi. WFP operations in the area are currently suspended due to the ongoing insecurity. In South Kivu, armed clashes have also led to the displacement of some 50,000 people this year in Uvira and Fizi territories.