Countries

Overview

Since 1996, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been cursed by conflict, which has devastated and destabilised the country and claimed the lives of an estimated five million civilians. People continue to live in crisis conditions in many parts of the country.

The eastern regions - Ituri, Katanga , North and South Kivu and Maniema - are still plagued by violence.

The total number of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in DRC stands at 2 million (OCHA July 2009). Sexual violence perpetrated by various armed groups continues and many people have been displaced more than once as they seek places of refuge. While the eastern provinces used to be the major food producers of the country, repeated looting of crops by armed groups and general insecurity over many years has hugely undermined production.

In other parts of the country with better security conditions, crumbled infrastructure has significantly decreased the country’s food production capacity. Households and major food importers maintain food reserves at a bare minimum because of the volatile political and economic environment, as well as the frequent threats of looting.

High prices have also hit DRC hard. Food prices have increased by 52% in June 2009 compared to figures from May 2008 (FAO). The financial and economic crisis have also affected mining activities. Acute malnutrition is at dangerously high levels in some parts of DRC. Available datas show that acute malnutrition are above the emergency threshold in the Kasaï provinces (centre). Even the worst affected parts of North Kivu do not have such high rates due to humanitarian interventions. Malaria, malnutrition, acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, and diarrhea are the main causes of child mortality, according to the Ministry of Health. Deteriorating health conditions have allowed the resurgence of epidemics such as measles and typhoid fever.

In rural areas, hospitals and clinics have often been destroyed by conflict and a large proportion of the population does not live within reach of health services.

The spread of HIV/AIDS remains a threat, particularly for displaced persons, who lack the means to protect themselves and do not have sufficient information about the transmission of the disease.

WFP Activities

WFP's core project is a relief operation (July 2007-December 2009) which targets people caught up in the armed conflict. For 2009, through this project, WFP plans to deliver food to 3 million food insecure people in DRC (cost for 2009 : US$259 million). An emergency operation is also ongoing in Haut-Uele, in the North-East of the country to reach 162,000 people displaced by Lord Resistance Army's attacks. As Cluster lead for logistics, WFP is also helping other UN agencies and NGOs to transport humanitarian supplies to remote areas.

WFP is working to connect farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo to markets through the Purchase for Progress initiative. Learn more

Activities under the relief operation are :

• Nutrition: to contribute to improving the nutritional status of groups identified as severely or moderately at risk, through interventions such as therapeutic and supplementary feeding centres, mother and child health programmes and school-feeding.
• Assistance to the internally displaced, refugees and returnees.
• Vulnerable group feeding (VGF): Assistance to vulnerable groups among the affected population (the elderly, orphans and the chronically sick).
• Health: support to people affected by HIV/Aids.
• Food-for-work (FFW) and food-for-training (FFT): rehabilitation of rural infrastructure such as roads, schools and other public buildings. Capacity building for women farmers’ groups.
• Support to demobilisation of child soldiers and adult combatants with their families.

Particular attention is given to women, many of whom have been victims of sexual violence perpetrated by armed bands.