DRC: Critical food insecurity in Kasaï region

Event

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Food Programme (WFP), announced on Thursday, January 18, that 3.2 million people in Kasaï region (inclusive of the provinces of Kasaï and Kasaï-Central [together formerly known as Kasaï-Occidental province], Kasaï-Oriental, Lomami, and Sankuru) are threatened by acute malnutrition. In addition, according to the consortium, 10 percent of the DRC's rural population currently suffers from hunger.

Context

In the DRC, conflict and insecurity are the main drivers of acute food insecurity, the effects of which are compounded by the growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country and have resulted in malnutrition among much of the population. In conflict areas, humanitarian assistance has become the main food source for residents.

Insecurity linked to the presence of armed groups and corresponding military operations persists in the eastern and central areas of the country. Kasaï, Kasaï-Central, and Kasaï-Oriental provinces have been wracked by violence, with ongoing clashes frequent between the Kamwina Nsapu militia and government forces. The security situation in the eastern DRC, including in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, is also volatile as a result of numerous rebel groups and armed criminal gangs operating in the region. As the political process in Kinshasa stalls, grievances over socioeconomic and political conditions could exacerbate intercommunal violence throughout the country. There is an increased risk of civic unrest and violent crackdowns by security forces in urban areas across the country, including the capital Kinshasa.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas are advised to monitor developments to the situation and to avoid any protests that may arise as a result of increased tensions during the ongoing period of acute food insecurity (i.e. tensions resulting from competition for limited resources, etc.).

More generally, a number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the east and northeast of the country for various security reasons.