Approximately 1 Million Individuals Displaced in Goma, Congo Since 2025: WFP
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Synopsis
The WFP highlighted that nearly 1 million people have been displaced from Goma, DRC, since 2025 due to escalating violence from the M23 rebels. Ongoing instability has created significant humanitarian challenges, prompting the suspension of aid operations in the region.
Key Takeaways
- About 1 million displaced individuals since early 2025.
- M23 rebels seized control of Goma and Bukavu.
- Insecurity has led to civil unrest and disrupted humanitarian aid.
- UN warns of potential regional crisis.
- Goma is a crucial hub for aid distribution.
Kinshasa, Feb 25 (NationPress) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Tuesday that nearly 1 million individuals have been uprooted from Goma city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since the onset of 2025, following the occupation of the area by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.
The WFP's findings indicate a marked deterioration in the security circumstances within the DRC after M23 insurgents gained control of Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, respectively.
Since 2025, conflicts have led to the displacement of around 1 million residents from Goma, a significant urban area that previously housed about 1 million inhabitants and over 700,000 displaced individuals.
The persistent instability in the country’s eastern region has incited civil disorder, looting, and disruption of humanitarian logistics, compelling the WFP to pause its operations temporarily in regions close to the conflict zones.
The UN has identified Goma as a crucial logistics center for regional humanitarian assistance. Nevertheless, the shutdown of Goma's international airport has severely restricted these critical 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 area via Kenya and Rwanda, according to DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix cautioned on Friday that the turmoil in the DRC could escalate into a larger regional crisis. "The risk of regional spillover from the DRC conflict is a reality," Lacroix stated on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized at the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa that "A regional escalation must be avoided at all costs. There is no military solution. The deadlock must end, and dialogue must commence."
The mineral-rich eastern DRC continues to be a hotspot for conflict, with various factions competing for control over valuable resources such as coltan, tin, tantalum, and gold.
