A patron on the street of Goma, DRC. DR Congo: UN calls for Goma airport to be reopened to help those affected by worsening crisis Humanitarian Aid
The UN humanitarian coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Tuesday called for the urgent reopening of Goma airport, warning that its continued closure would paralyze aid operations.
“Goma airport is a lifeline,” said Bruno Lemarqui. “Without it, the evacuation of the seriously wounded, the delivery of medicines and humanitarian supplies are paralysed.”
Mounting Casualties
The M23 armed group, backed by Rwandan troops, seized the airport last week as it advanced into Goma, the capital of North Kivu. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed in the fighting and tens of thousands more have been displaced.
The rebels have seized large swathes of Goma, setting up checkpoints and severely restricting humanitarian access, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This disrupted food and water supplies, as well as medical care for two million residents.
Humanitarian workers also face limited access to camps for displaced people, making it difficult to provide essential services, including emergency obstetric care.
Emergency
Lemarqui called on all parties to facilitate the immediate reopening of the airport.
“Every hour lost puts more lives at risk. This is an absolute emergency. All stakeholders must act immediately to ensure that humanitarian flights resume and access to humanitarian supplies is guaranteed,” he stressed. – The survival of thousands of people depends on it.”
Sexual violence is “tragically commonplace”
Meanwhile, UN Women warned that reports of sexual violence and exploitation have become “tragically commonplace.”
“As clashes unfold in a country experiencing long-term instability, women and girls are bearing the brunt of both the direct and indirect consequences, with their rights, safety and dignity increasingly at risk,” the organization’s spokesperson Sophia Callthorpe told a press briefing in Geneva.
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Local women’s organizations are reporting widespread sexual violence, displacement and serious gaps in basic social and protection services.
As the situation worsens, the organization UN Women called for immediate action by state and non-state actors in the DRC, as well as the international community, to combat sexual and gender-based violence and end impunity.
Goma aftermath
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in the Goma area, sites for displaced people have been abandoned and destroyed, and water, sanitation and health facilities have been severely damaged.
The city has also seen a spike in crime, including carjackings and the looting of humanitarian warehouses belonging to UN agencies and partner organizations.
While some institutions have reopened, schools remain closed, the internet is down and hospitals are overcrowded. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of potential outbreaks of diseases including smallpox, cholera and measles.
South Kivu
In Kalehe territory in South Kivu, clashes between the Congolese army and M23 rebels have forced thousands of people to flee their homes since January 25. Some 6,900 people have fled to Bukavu, while others are seeking refuge in host communities.
The situation remains dire as a cholera outbreak worsens due to disruptions to health services.
Humanitarian organizations have also warned that a 90-day suspension of U.S. humanitarian funding will severely impact food security, sanitation and relief efforts in both North and South Kivu.