Democratic Republic of the Congo at a glance

The crisis and the response

• Limited progress in finding durable solutions for 1.8 million IDPs and 440,000 refugees displaced by protracted conflict.
• Humanitarian crisis continues due to slow progress on security reform, restoration of state authority in conflict areas and delivery of basic services.
• While in 2008 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was the second largest recipient of humanitarian assistance, the 2009 CAP was only 66 percent covered and as of October 2010, the 2010 appeal is only 52 percent covered.
• Contributions to the pooled fund declined in 2009.
• Following a government request, the UN agreed in July 2010 to rename the UN Mission to the DRC (MONUC), clarify its stabilisation mandate and begin a process of reducing the number of peacekeepers.
• Launch of the Congolese government’s Stabilisation and Reconstruction Plan for Eastern Congo (STAREC) has sparked concerns at a potentially premature transition from humanitarian assistance to recovery and development. Some fear rushed repatriation of refugees and failure to resolve land disputes could retrigger ethnic conflicts.

Donor performance

• There is a disproportionate focus on conflict-affected eastern regions, rather than a needs-based approach to equally impoverished regions of DRC.
• Donor support for enhanced coordination mechanisms has improved ability to identify needs and expand assistance.
• Lack of media attention is diverting donor interest as new high-profile crises in Haiti and Pakistan capture headlines.

Key challenges and areas for improvement

• Donors should recognise the state’s currently limited capacity to guarantee security and provide greater funding for protection interventions and long-term support for conflict victims.
• Donors should fund more equitably across DRC: this could both promote national stability and improve the local image of donors.
• Donors need to offer more support to build government, civil society and local capacity.

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