The climate hazards, one of the causes of the humanitarian crisis in DRC

Kinshasa, January 28^th, 2026 (CPA) – The climate hazards and the epidemics have been identified on Wednesday in Kinshasa as one of the causes of the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during a ceremony dedicated to the launching of the 2026 humanitarian needs overview and the response plan. “Climate hazards such as landslides and floods are one of the causes of the humanitarian crisis in DRC. There are also epidemics, combined with fragile infrastructure, which are exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the country,” has declared Eve Bazaiba, Minister in charge of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action, and National Solidarity. “Among these causes, we can add the ethnic conflicts and the tribalism. This overview of humanitarian needs and response plan 2026, obliges the government, NGOs, and partners to intervene to bring solutions,” she has added. For his part, Bruno Lemarquis, humanitarian coordinator in DRC, has explained that in 2025, 1,000 nutrition centers have been closed, depriving more than 390,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition of essential care. “Last year, around 1.5 million people have lost access to primary health care due to the closure of facilities, stock-outs of vital medicines, and reduced capacity to prevent and respond to epidemics,” he has continued. This launching day for the 2026 humanitarian needs overview and response plan has been organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). On this occasion, it has been announced that $1.4 billion is being refocused on 7.3 million people out of nearly 15 million who are in vital need of assistance and protection. ACP/