The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday that it may be forced to suspend, as early as next February, its food aid to millions of vulnerable people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), due to an unprecedented lack of funding.
“Our funding is at a historically low level. We have probably received around $150 million this year,” said Cynthia Jones, WFP Country Director for the DRC. The agency estimates it needs $350 million to meet humanitarian needs in the country, which is gripped by a severe food crisis and ongoing conflict.
According to the latest data published by an international food security monitoring organization, more than 3,2 million people are facing an emergency situation in eastern Congo, where food shortages and rates of acute malnutrition have reached alarming levels. Recurring clashes between Congolese forces and M23 rebels, who Kinshasa claims are supported by Rwanda, have exacerbated the crisis. Kigali denies any involvement in the violence, while both sides have been accused of atrocities.
Faced with a funding shortage, the WFP has already had to reduce its assistance: it previously helped around one million people per month, but can now only support 600,000. "If we continued to reach 600,000 people per month, we would be completely overwhelmed by February or March. That's the reality. The situation is extremely serious," warned Cynthia Jones.
The contrast with previous years is striking: the agency used to receive up to $600 million in annual funding, compared to just $380 million in 2024 and $150 million this year. This sharp drop is due to budget cuts in US foreign aid and the reallocation of funds by several major European donors, now focused on defense spending.
If no additional funding is released in the coming months, the WFP warns that millions of Congolese risk being left without food assistance in a region already ravaged by conflict and hunger.
