World Food Programme Warns Funding Crisis Will Force Halt to Congo Food Aid by February
Key Takeaways
- WFP faces record low funding, receiving about $150 million this year for Congo aid
- Food aid to millions in eastern DRC may halt by February without new funds
- Millions of malnourished people in eastern DRC depend on WFP food assistance
Food Aid Crisis in DRC
The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) warns it may be forced to halt food aid by February in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo due to a severe funding shortfall.
This situation puts millions of malnourished people at risk.
WFP’s DRC country director Cynthia Jones says the agency received about $150 million in 2024, far below the $350 million it needs.
Conflict has pushed over 3.2 million people into emergency levels of acute food insecurity.
This crisis is compounded by a recent M23 rebel offensive in South Kivu.
To stretch dwindling funds, WFP already cut monthly assistance from roughly 1 million people to 600,000.
Officials say this measure cannot be sustained much longer without new financing.
WFP Funding and Caseload Challenges
Operationally, WFP has already reduced its monthly caseload from about 1 million to 600,000 because funds are running low.
Officials indicate that even this reduced level of support is close to collapse without urgent financing.
Both sources agree that the cutbacks are already having an impact and a halt in February is possible.
However, there is uncertainty about the exact timeline for when current resources will be fully exhausted.
This uncertainty complicates planning efforts for partners working on the ground.
Causes of Funding Shortfall
The funding gap is driven by a sharp drop in donor contributions, according to WFP’s DRC office.
One account links the squeeze to shifts in priorities among major donors, with aid budgets being reallocated.
Another article focuses strictly on the arithmetic of the shortfall without attributing causes, leaving readers with different understandings of why the pipeline is collapsing.
Conflict and Food Crisis in DRC
Conflict is a central driver of hunger in eastern DRC.
Both outlets link acute food insecurity to ongoing violence and specifically to the latest offensive by the Rwandan-backed M23 in South Kivu.
The convergence of conflict, a steep funding shortfall, and malnutrition creates what WFP officials describe as an emergency for millions.
Without immediate financing, even the scaled-down aid to 600,000 people cannot be maintained.
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