Approximately One Million Individuals Displaced in Goma, Congo Since 2025: WFP

Synopsis

The United Nations World Food Programme reports that approximately one million people have been displaced in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, since early 2025 due to the control of the city by M23 rebels. The ongoing conflict has severely disrupted humanitarian efforts.

Key Takeaways

Roughly one million displaced since 2025.
Goma has been under M23 rebel control.
Humanitarian operations are temporarily suspended.
Goma is a key logistics hub for aid.
Potential for regional conflict escalation.

Kinshasa, Feb 25 (NationPress) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Tuesday that roughly one million individuals have been forced to flee since the onset of 2025 in Goma, a city located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that has been taken over by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.

A report released by the WFP indicates that the security conditions in the DRC have deteriorated markedly since the M23 rebels established control over Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, respectively.

Since the beginning of 2025, ongoing hostilities have resulted in the displacement of approximately one million people from Goma, which previously had a population of about 1 million residents and over 700,000 displaced individuals.

The persistent insecurity in eastern DRC has led to civil unrest, looting, and significant disruptions in humanitarian supply chains, compelling the WFP to pause its operations in areas close to the frontlines.

The UN has identified Goma as a crucial logistics center for the distribution of regional humanitarian aid. However, the closure of Goma's international airport has severely affected these operations, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

In mid-February, a humanitarian corridor was set up in Goma, allowing the World Health Organization to transport aid supplies to the region via Kenya and Rwanda, according to Samuel Roger Kamba, the health minister of the DRC.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix cautioned on Friday that the conflict in the DRC has the potential to escalate into a wider regional crisis. "The risk of regional conflict stemming from the DRC is a reality," Lacroix stated on the social media platform X.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently emphasized at the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, that "there is no military resolution" and called for an end to the deadlock and the commencement of dialogue.

The mineral-abundant eastern DRC continues to be a hotspot for conflict, with various factions competing for control over resources such as coltan, tin, tantalum, and gold.