Kinshasa, 28 January 2026 - The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the humanitarian community in the country today launched an urgent appeal for US$1.4 billion to address humanitarian needs in 2026.
These resources are essential to assist millions of Congolese women, men, and children trapped in one of the most protracted and most neglected humanitarian crises of our time.
Due to insufficient funding, the 2026 humanitarian response will focus on 7.3 million people, out of nearly 15 million individuals who require life-saving assistance and protection.
This narrower targeting--compared to the 11 million people prioritized in 2025--reflects a strict focus on populations facing the most immediate and life-threatening needs.
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This drastic reduction comes as the country continues to face an acute crisis driven by persistent armed conflict, large-scale displacement and returns, climatic shocks, and recurrent epidemics.
The consequences of underfunding were already evident in 2025. For example, reduced operational capacity led to the closure of more than 1,000 nutrition centres, depriving over 390,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition of essential treatment.
Approximately 1.5 million people lost access to primary healthcare due to facility closures, shortages of vital medicines, and limited capacity to prevent and respond to epidemics. Monthly food assistance targets were reduced by up to 73 per cent, leaving the most vulnerable further exposed to hunger and deprivation.
"The combination of immense needs and limited resources forces us into extremely difficult, sometimes impossible, choices," said Bruno Lemarquis, Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "We call for renewed and strengthened financial commitment so that we can respond efficiently, help preserve the dignity of the Congolese people facing acute suffering, and prevent millions from being deprived of life-saving support," he emphasized.
This plan comes at a time when the humanitarian landscape in the eastern provinces has been profoundly disrupted since January 2025. Fighting in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri has reshaped needs, disrupted supply chains, and increased administrative and security constraints. Access to affected populations has become more dangerous and more complex than ever.
Given the gravity of the situation, Mr. Lemarquis called for a genuine paradigm shift:
"We cannot continue operating as before. Humanitarian assistance is indispensable because it saves lives, but it is not the solution to humanitarian problems. It does not address the root causes of the crises. The best response is the one that sustainably reduces needs The pursuit of peace must be at the centre of our efforts. Solutions are above all political. It is also essential to move beyond a constant reactive mode and to establish a true culture of anticipation and prevention, both in terms of conflict and disaster risk. We must also strengthen the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus to achieve impact at scale."
He also paid tribute to the remarkable resilience and solidarity of Congolese communities, particularly the host families who open their homes and share the little they have, forming the country's first line of humanitarian support. Mr. Lemarquis further recalled the central role of the Government in facilitating humanitarian action on the ground.
Largely absent from international headlines, the humanitarian crisis in the DRC remains one of the longest-running and most neglected worldwide. The humanitarian community remains fully engaged alongside the Congolese Government to save lives, protect civilians, and strengthen resilience. With adequate support, this response could be expanded and intensified to meet the scale of the needs.
END
Note to Editors
· 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP): The 2026 HNRP is a strategic document developed through extensive consultations between the United Nations, international and national NGOs, and the Congolese authorities. It outlines priority interventions based on a rigorous, evidence-based assessment of needs.
· Targeting and geographic scope: The 2026 HNRP focuses exclusively on areas affected by three major shocks--armed conflict, climatic hazards, and epidemics. It covers 228 health zones, compared to 332 health zones in 2025.
· Costs and funding requirements: The total estimated cost of the 2026 response amounts to US$1.4 billion and targets 7.3 million people.
· Evolution of needs: The decrease in the total number of people in need--from 21.2 million in 2025 to 14.9 million in 2026 (a reduction of approximately 30 per cent)--reflects methodological choices and revised analyses rather than an improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground.
· Budget adjustments: Overall funding requirements for the 2026 HNRP have been reduced by 45 per cent compared to 2025. This reduction corresponds to a 34 per cent decrease in the target population and adjustments in specific activities. The average cost per beneficiary has also decreased by 17 per cent, falling from US$231 in 2025 to US$192 in 2026, largely due to revised quality standards within certain clusters.
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· 2025 underfunding: In 2025, only 24 per cent of the HNRP's funding requirements were met. This severely limited partners' ability to deliver planned life-saving assistance and protection services, leaving millions without essential support.
· Operational coverage: Despite access challenges, shrinking resources, and increased insecurity, partners were able to deliver assistance at least once to more than 8.2 million people as of 30 November 2025. However, the frequency and quantity of assistance were often insufficient due to funding gaps and operational constraints.
· Complementarity of actions: The HNRP should be complemented by Government efforts to deliver basic services and ensure the protection of the Congolese people, alongside sustained peace initiatives aimed at ending conflict.
For more information, please contact:
Carla Martinez, Head of Office, OCHA-DRC, +243817061223, martinez14@un.org
Wassy Kambale, Public Information Officer, +243811 697 788, wassy.kambale@un.org
Information products on the humanitarian situation in the DRC are available at https://reliefweb.int/country/cod
