The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says close to 8 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are in need of emergency relief food.
Aid agencies say violent clashes in the province are increasing the food shortage.
The UN earlier this year issued a funds appeal to aid those in need of basic relief supplies. Now, it says that only about 50% of the required funds have been received. With the continued conflict, more people now need the aid, and the agency is now pleading for about $60 million.
“There’s been like a flash appeal, a call for funds in April and up to now it has been funded like up to more or less 50 percent. That was taking into consideration the needs by April. So now these needs have increased, and for the food security sector with WFP and FAO, we estimate that we need like more or less 50-60 million dollars, and for now we get like 15 and so it’s a small percentage,” DR Congo interim representative Alexi Bond said.
Besides humanitarian needs arising from conflicts in the Kasai region, DRC is also home to refugees from Burundi and Central African Republic.
Aid agencies are worried that a swelling humanitarian need could exert excessive strain on an overstretched resource envelope for emergencies.
