Acute Hunger and Displacement Plague DRC Amidst Conflict BODY: Kinshasa, DRC – More than 26. 5 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing acute hunger, a crisis exacerbated by ongoing conflict, according to a new analysis by UN-backed food security experts.
The situation is particularly dire in eastern DRC, where around 3.
59 million people are internally displaced, with South Kivu and North Kivu provinces being the hardest hit.
The DRC has long been addressing one of the world’s longest-standing humanitarian crises, marked by over two decades of conflict. Despite the country’s vast natural resources, high poverty and vulnerability levels have persisted, further compounded by ongoing conflict, insecurity, displacement, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks.
Mercy Corps reports a decrease in the number of displaced households, suggesting a potential easing of the displacement crisis.
However, UN — backed food security experts and the UNHCR highlight the severity of the hunger crisis and the large-scale displacement in the DRC, indicating a more complex and urgent situation.
The number of displaced households decreased by 9% in April 2026 compared with the previous month, totaling 110,397 households across the five eastern provinces.
While this may suggest a slight improvement, the overall scale of the crisis remains staggering.
The closure of Goma airport following the city’s fall last year has further disrupted humanitarian access and supply chains across the region. Despite the scale of the crisis, food assistance reached only about 1.
1 million people in the four worst-affected eastern provinces in January and February – just 23 per cent of those targeted under the 2026 humanitarian response plan – leaving an estimated 3.
8 million without support. Officials commented on the matter. “.
The situation in the DRC underscores the need for a comprehensive and coordinated response from the international community. With ongoing conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic, the humanitarian situation in the country is only expected to worsen unless immediate action is taken.
The DRC’s crisis is not only a human tragedy but also a call to the global community to address the root causes of conflict and hunger.
Only through a sustained and multi — faceted approach can the DRC move towards stability and prosperity.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: reliefweb
Source: Mercy Corps
