The deepening humanitarian emergency in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached alarming levels, prompting urgent intervention from the United Nations. During a briefing at the UN Security Council on June 26, 2026, James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in DRC and head of MONUSCO, painted a grim picture of the worsening crisis gripping the country’s eastern provinces.

Swan emphasized that the conflict continues to devastate millions of Congolese lives. With international humanitarian funding dwindling, he revealed that the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan, launched in January, has secured only 53.3% of its required budget. Swan urgently called on international partners to mobilize the remaining resources to address the escalating humanitarian needs across the DRC.

“The humanitarian crisis in the DRC remains severe. Nearly 27 million people—over a quarter of the population—are suffering from food insecurity. The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan prioritizes urgent aid for 7.3 million people, with a budget of $1.4 billion, currently funded at just 53.3%. I extend my gratitude to donors for their generosity and urge them to release the full necessary funds to meet the DRC’s urgent needs,” Swan stated.

Swan’s warnings come as fighting intensifies in multiple areas of North Kivu and South Kivu, where humanitarian needs continue to rise despite diplomatic efforts to secure a durable ceasefire and implement peace agreements.

With a critical funding shortfall, humanitarian organizations in the DRC are forced to severely limit their response in 2026. Earlier this year, the DRC government and humanitarian partners launched an urgent appeal for $1.4 billion to address the country’s humanitarian needs in 2026.

Both parties stressed that these funds are vital to assist millions of Congolese trapped in one of the world’s most prolonged and neglected humanitarian crises. Without sufficient financing, the 2026 humanitarian response will focus on just 7.3 million people out of nearly 15 million with critical needs for assistance and protection.

The consequences of underfunding were already evident in 2025. Operational capacity reductions led to the closure of over 1,000 nutrition centers, depriving more than 390,000 children with severe acute malnutrition of essential care. Additionally, 1.5 million people lost access to primary healthcare due to the shutdown of facilities, medication shortages, and reduced epidemic prevention and response capacity. Food assistance targets were cut by up to 73%, exposing vulnerable populations to heightened risks of hunger and deprivation.