A UN food convoy has successfully delivered essential supplies to help tens of thousands of displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the situation has become critical due to escalating violence. Humanitarian teams on the ground have confirmed the arrival of trucks loaded with grains, beans, and cooking oil to the city of Beni in North Kivu province, coming from Uganda amidst intense clashes between M23 rebel fighters and Congolese forces.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that these supplies will be allocated to approximately 140,000 people living in the Lubero territory, south of Butembo. Violence in this area intensified starting May 2, leading to the displacement of around 30,000 people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The situation is further complicated by peace talks taking place in Qatar between the DRC government and M23 rebels. In previous discussions in April, both groups had committed to seeking a peaceful solution, but insecurity has increased due to the presence of various armed groups. The M23 rebels, who allegedly receive support from Rwanda, have been clashing with the Congolese army and its allies in this mineral-rich region. Negotiations between the group and the Kinshasa government failed in 2021.
Hostilities escalated in January when M23 militants succeeded in taking Goma, the capital of North Kivu. In February, they captured Bukavu in South Kivu, revealing their ambition to extend the conflict to the capital, Kinshasa. Since then, fighting has triggered massive displacements, resulting in more than 7,000 deaths and raising fears of a potential broader regional conflict.
Currently, around 21 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo require humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, UN aid teams and their partner organizations continue to work on the ground, reporting acts of looting at aid warehouses, which has led to the destruction of vital food and medicine for the affected population.
via: MiMub in Spanish
