The deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to deeply trouble the United Nations. Addressing the Security Council on Friday, June 26, 2026, James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the DRC and head of MONUSCO, painted an alarming picture of the humanitarian toll from the ongoing conflict in the country’s eastern provinces.
He stated that the crisis continues to impact millions of Congolese. Against a backdrop of shrinking international humanitarian funding, Swan revealed that the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan, launched in January, has so far secured 53.3% of its required budget. He urged international partners to mobilize the remaining funds to address the growing humanitarian needs across the DRC.
“The humanitarian crisis in the DRC remains severe. Nearly 27 million people – more than a quarter of the population – are facing food insecurity. The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan prioritizes 7.3 million people for emergency assistance, with a budget of $1.4 billion, currently funded at 53.3%. I thank donors for their generosity and urge them to release the full amount needed to address the urgent needs in the DRC,” said James Swan, head of MONUSCO.
These fresh warnings from MONUSCO come as fighting continues in several localities and territories of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in eastern DRC. Humanitarian needs are escalating despite diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire and implement various peace agreements.
Confronted with a critical funding shortfall, the humanitarian community in the DRC has been forced to strictly prioritize its response in 2026. It was in this context that the Congolese government and humanitarian partners launched an urgent appeal on January 28, 2026, in Kinshasa, seeking $1.4 billion to address the country’s humanitarian needs for the year.
Both parties stressed that these resources are vital to assist millions of Congolese caught in one of the world’s most protracted and neglected humanitarian crises. Without sufficient funding, the 2026 humanitarian response will be narrowed to 7.3 million people out of nearly 15 million who require life-saving assistance and protection.
The year 2025 already demonstrated the dire consequences of underfunding. For instance, reduced operational capacity led to the closure of over 1,000 nutrition centers, depriving more than 390,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition of essential care.
Approximately 1.5 million people lost access to primary healthcare due to facility closures, stockouts of essential medicines, and reduced capacity for epidemic prevention and response. Monthly food assistance targets were cut by up to 73%, exposing the most vulnerable populations to heightened risks of hunger and deprivation.
