In a bid to address the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC), donors have pledged $528 million (428 million euros), less than a quarter of $2.2 billion the UN had estimated it required this year to provide needed aid inside DRC and to Congolese refugees in neighbouring countries..
UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock stressed that the expectation had never been to raise the entire amount in one conference.
“I am pleased with the progress,” he told reporters, highlighting that a number of countries which had not yet made pledges had indicated they planned to do so soon.
Around 100 delegations, including from 54 UN member countries, took part in Friday’s conference, with the DRC itself conspicuously missing.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Refugee Council chief Jan Egeland voiced dismay that Friday’s conference had not generated more funds.
In a video address to Friday’s conference, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that the DRC was “experiencing one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.”
“Millions of people are suffering,” he said, warning that “the single biggest obstacle is the lack of funding.”
In January, the UN and Kinshasa said $1.68 billion was needed in 2018 to provide urgently needed assistance to some 10.5 million people inside the country.
“We are disappointed that too few countries sent a real message of hope to the millions of Congolese children, women and men in desperate need of assistance,” he said in a statement.
The government has meanwhile promised $100 million “to ease humanitarian distress” and earmarked $10 million to help refugees or those internally displaced to return home.
