Kinshasa, February 17th, 2025 (CPA). – The European Union (EU) has mobilised more than €81 million in humanitarian aid for people in need throughout the Great Lakes region, particularly in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where ‘the crisis is reaching its peak’, according to a statement received on Tuesday by CPA.
« Thanks to this new humanitarian funding, the EU will provide vital services not only to the most vulnerable people in eastern DRC, but also to Congolese refugees who are forced to flee the country. This funding will also provide support for aid projects in Burundi, where the fragile humanitarian situation continues to put vulnerable communities at risk, as well as in Rwanda and Tanzania, » the EU has specified in its statement. « Of the €81.2 million, €68 million will be used to fund humanitarian aid within DRC, where conflict and population displacement are causing the most urgent needs. This funding will provide food aid and emergency health and nutrition care, restore access to water, sanitation and basic shelter for the displaced families, and to support protection services, including care for survivors of violence and child protection. An amount of €13.2 million will support regional refugee assistance measures and will strengthen the preparedness for disasters across the Great Lakes region, helping partners to respond quickly to new arrivals of displaced persons and to emergencies related to the crisis, » the source has specified.
This new funding, announced during the visit to the region by Ms Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, aims to provide vital assistance to the most vulnerable populations in eastern DRC and to Congolese refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries. During her visit, Ms Lahbib will have to assess the most urgent humanitarian needs on the ground and advocate for unrestricted humanitarian access to all parties to the conflict. This visit follows the Foreign Affairs Council discussions on January 29th, during which Member States have expressed their full support for concrete initiatives in the field of humanitarian diplomacy.
‘DRC continues to face one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises, with more than 21 million people in need of assistance and nearly 28 million facing food insecurity. The humanitarian situation in Burundi also remains fragile, exacerbated by the arrival of tens of thousands of Congolese refugees since the end of 2025,’ the statement has indicated. The EU reminds that it remains one of the main donors of humanitarian aid in the Great Lakes region. In 2025, it has allocated €129.5 million to support affected populations in DRC and neighbouring countries hosting refugees. CPA/