GENEVA/ISTANBUL
UNICEF has urged the international community not to remain indifferent to the worsening situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where fighting between government forces and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group continues to endanger millions.
Spokesperson James Elder emphasized to Anadolu that the crisis will deepen unless addressed through political engagement and financial support.
Elder, who recently spent one week in Goma, in the east of that country, described the region as facing a near “disaster” due to the Mpox virus outbreak combined with violence.
“UNICEF and partners were rushing to support across the region to ensure it just did not spread further. That means building up health systems, vaccines going to very remote areas,” he said.
“Then all of a sudden in late January, conflict broke out. Thousands of people killed, hundreds of thousands of people displaced, hundreds of thousands,” Elder stated. “So now we've got children that have been through so much. Now they've gone home to find that their home's been burned, or the family's gone back to find that their crops are no longer there. So, this is the environment that they're in -- a conflict, a disease outbreak.”
He also noted the effect of abrupt and severe cuts to humanitarian aid funding for Congo.
“These cuts were implemented very rapidly,” he said, adding that despite working with committed health professionals and volunteers, UNICEF lacks the supplies needed to meet the scale of the crisis.
“They need support and so at the moment, they are facing multiple crises that are really very lethal to children,” Elder said, though he acknowledged that Goma is currently experiencing a relatively calmer period.
‘We can’t reach everywhere’
Elder warned of the dangers in the region.
“The situation is still unsafe. There are no police. The prisons are empty. There's a curfew. So, it's very difficult for everyday people to live their lives, to earn an income,” he said.
“Look, UNICEF tries to go to some of the most remote places, but we can't reach everywhere,” he said.
He shared harrowing accounts of the conditions faced by civilians, especially children.
“There’s been levels of rape against children that are just horrific. Areas where there’s Mpox, areas where there’s a nutritional crisis, and we try to get in the supplies, the child psychologists, the vaccines -- but we can’t reach everywhere. No.
“The point is that there are people out there who are not being reached, and that means their situation is even more dire,” he added.
Elder expressed cautious hope that political talks might lead to progress in resolving the conflict.
He noted that the M23 continues to occupy key areas in the east, making the current negotiations crucial.
He stressed that peace can only come through dialogue.
“We can’t keep having civilians and children suffering the greatest brunt from this. If we look again at sexual violence -- the reports coming in are around a child is raped every 30 minutes.
“I mean, this should push everybody into action, into more prevention services and to make sure perpetrators are held accountable. That last part’s very important.
“So, you know, the point is that these are not isolated incidents. We’re talking about a systemic crisis, and this crisis will only stop when those parties put down the guns and when they sit and speak and, of course, when that international funding comes back. But they cannot do it without the vaccine,” he said.
‘Millions of lives are at risk’
Elder underlined the urgency of strengthening health infrastructure, especially with vaccine and food assistance, noting that millions of children are at serious risk.
“If fighting continues and if funding continues to disappear, millions of children are at risk. It's that simple. Millions of lives are at risk. And you know, the future of so many. It’s not just so your child lives -- who will die.”
He added that the Congo’s young population could be a vital asset if supported with education and healthcare.
“You get children who are going to become part of the workforce, part of the tax base. It's about a longer-term future, and it would be a mistake for the world to think this is isolated.
“We live in a very globalized world. You've had major disease outbreaks --Ebola, Mpox -- coming out, emanating out of this area. Now they can only be stopped when we strengthen the health system. We can only do that with funding and with peace.
“So, it’s a mistake to believe this is isolated here. The world is connected. What the problems are here will spread unless they are addressed at the political level and a financial level,” he said.
Conflict, displacement in DRC
Fighting between M23 and government forces has escalated since early this year, with the rebel group capturing several strategic areas, including Bukavu in South Kivu and Goma in North Kivu.
As a result, nearly 1 million people have been displaced and more than 7,000 lives lost in 2024.
The DRC and the UN continue to accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23, an allegation the Rwandan government denies.
The rebel group, comprised largely of Tutsis, the same ethnic group as Rwandan President Paul Kagame, was formed following the breakdown of a 2009 peace agreement to stabilize the region.
Named after the date of that agreement, March 23, the group re-emerged in recent years and has contributed to growing insecurity in the eastern provinces.
