ReliefWeb: Updates by Country

17.11.2022 20:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. Goma, 17 novembre 2022 : Le Ministre des affaires sociales, des actions humanitaires et de la solidarité nationale, Modeste Mutinga, et le Coordonnateur humanitaire, Bruno Lemarquis, accompagnés de membres de l’équipe humanitaire pays, ont achevé une mission conjointe dans le territoire de Nyiragongo, dans la province du Nord-Kivu, visant à s’enquérir des conséquences humanitaires depuis la reprise des affrontements le 20 octobre entre l’Armée congolaise et le groupe armé M23 et à soutenir et amplifier les opérations d’aide d’urgence en cours. En discutant avec les personnes déplacées et les familles d’accueil de Kanyaruchinya, localité située à 10 kms au nord de Goma, ainsi qu’avec les acteurs locaux et les autorités provinciales, la mission confirme des besoins humanitaires très importants. Des milliers de familles ont besoin, entre autres, d’abris, de protection, d’articles ménagers, d’aide alimentaire, de soins de santé, d’eau potable et d’infrastructures d’hygiène. Les familles d’accueil ont aussi besoin d’être soutenues. Les acteurs humanitaires estiment qu’environ 280 000 personnes sont déplacées depuis les affrontements en mars dernier, parmi lesquelles plus de 128 000 sont installées dans le territoire de Nyiragongo. La majorité de ces personnes déplacées occupent des écoles, des hôpitaux, des églises et autres sites improvisés, tandis que des milliers d’autres vivent au sein de familles d’accueil. Plus de 7 000 personnes ont trouvé refuge en Ouganda. « Le quotidien des personnes déplacées est très difficile malgré la réponse en cours par le Gouvernement congolais et les partenaires humanitaires. Des familles continuent d’affluer dans les environs de Goma. Tandis que le Gouvernement est engagé à résoudre cette crise, l’aide humanitaire demeure cruciale pour la survie des personnes, dont des milliers d’enfants. Au-delà de l’aide humanitaire, il est urgent de trouver une solution à cette crise » a déclaré le Ministre Mutinga. « Nous avons convenu à l’issue d’une rencontre avec les autorités provinciales de la mise à disposition immédiate de site approprié pour l’accueil temporaire des personnes déplacées qui continuent d’affluer » a rajouté le Ministre Mutinga. Dans ce contexte difficile où l’accès à l’ensemble des populations affectées demeure un défi majeur, les acteurs humanitaires apportent de l’aide dans toutes les zones accessibles et travaillent à atteindre le plus grand nombre de personnes. Au cours des trois dernières semaines, des milliers de familles ont reçu de l’aide alimentaire et de l’eau potable ; des centres de santé ont été approvisionnés en médicaments ; des enfants séparés de leurs familles ont reçu de l’assistance. « Nous continuerons à apporter de l’aide en restant fidèles aux principes humanitaires d'humanité, de neutralité, d'impartialité et d'indépendance qui guident notre action. Les acteurs humanitaires ont besoin d’un accès sans entrave pour pouvoir accéder aux populations affectées. Il est capital que tous les acteurs concernés respectent leurs obligations en vertu du droit international humanitaire. Cette crise se rajoutant à une situation humanitaire déjà très complexe et dégradée dans plusieurs provinces du pays, notamment à l’Est, les acteurs humanitaires doivent pouvoir disposer des moyens et ressources nécessaires pour faire face à ces multiples besoins et défis. J’appelle la communauté internationale à apporter d’urgence l’appui nécessaire pour porter assistance aux victimes des conflits, sachant que la meilleure réponse aux besoins humanitaires est le retour à la paix » a souligné M. Bruno Lemarquis, Coordonnateur humanitaire. Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacterCarla Martinez, Cheffe de Bureau, OCHA-RDC, +243817061223, Yvon Edoumou, Chargé de l’Information Publique**,** +243819889136, Les produits d’informations sur la situation humanitaire en RDC sont disponibles sur ou

17.11.2022 20:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN Children's Fund, World Health Organization Please refer to the attached Infographic.

17.11.2022 20:40 Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Source: World Health Organization Please refer to the attached file. Epidémie de COVID-19 Le nombre cumulé des cas de COVID-19 en RDC depuis le début de l’épidémie est de 93 466 cas confirmés et 2 cas probables dont 1 447 décès répartis dans 321 zones de santé de la RD Congo. L’incidence des nouveaux cas confirmés montre une hausse de 82,9 % au regard des données rapportées entre la S43/2022 et la S44/2022 . Du 19/04/2021 au 31/10/2022, 6,4 millions de personnes ont reçu au moins une dose de vaccin contre la COVID19 et 4,4 millions de personnes sont complètement vaccinées . Un atelier d’immersion du plan national d’accélération de la vaccination et de l’appropriation du plan d’intégration de la vaccination contre la COVID-19 dans la vaccination de routine, a été organisé. D’autre part, dans le cadre de la surveillance génomique, nous notons l’introduction d’un nouveau sous types du variant Omicron le BQ.1 qui depuis le 20 octobre est classé comme variant d’intérêt par l’OMS, et qui serait en train de supplanter le B.A.5 qui était prédominant parmi les échantillons du mois passé. Epidémie de choléra De la S1 à la S43/2022, un total de 12 355 cas suspects de choléra dont 222 décès a été notifié dans 83 ZS appartenant à 17 provinces. L’incidence globale du choléra en RDC pour 100 000 habitants est de 14 cas depuis le début de l’année 2022. Neuf provinces ont enregistré 1 310 cas positifs au vibrio cholerae 01 . Au total, 441 cas suspects de choléra et 9 décès ont été notifiés au terme de la S43/2022 dans 37 ZS de 9 DPS. On a noté une tendance globale à la hausse partant de la S27 à la S43/2022 avec un pic à la S40 . Les interventions de riposte se poursuivent sur le terrain avec l’appui de l’OMS et des autres partenaires. Epidémie de monkey pox Depuis le début de l’année 2022 à la S43, 4 508 cas suspects de monkey pox dont 170 décès , ont été notifiés dans 172 ZS réparties dans 23 provinces. La majorité de cas suspects a été dénombré dans les provinces du Sankuru , de la Tshopo , du Maniema , du Kasaï , du Kwango , de la Tshuapa et de l’Equateur . Tout au long du mois d’octobre 2022, 41 échantillons positifs en provenance de 6 provinces sont en cours de séquençage au laboratoire de virologie de l’INRB. A S43/2022, 134 cas suspects de monkey pox et 9 décès ont été notifiés dans 30 ZS de 14 provinces. Par ailleurs, les activités de préparation et de riposte sont en train d’être mises en place dans les DPS affectées avec l’appui de l’OMS et des autres partenaires. Préparation à la Maladie à Virus Ebola-Soudan La République de l’Ouganda qui partage une longue frontière avec les provinces de l’Ituri et du Nord-Kivu en RDC, est confrontée depuis le 20/09/2022 à une épidémie de Maladie à Virus Ebola -Soudan. Au 10/11/2022, cette épidémie avait déjà fait 158 victimes dont 75 décès. Pour faire face à une éventuelle importation de cette épidémie en RDC plusieurs actions sont menées dont le renforcement de la surveillance aux points d’entrée dans les 31 ZS des DPS à risque du Nord-Kivu, de l’Ituri, du Haut-Uélé, de Kinshasa et du Sud- Kivu. A cette date, 77 734 voyageurs dont 76 334 ont été contrôlés et 77 070 personnes ont lavé les mains aux PoE du Nord-Kivu et de l’Ituri. Pour le moment, aucun cas d’Ebola Soudan ou d’Ebola Zaïre n’a été confirmé en RDC.

17.11.2022 20:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, World Health Organization Please refer to the attached file. Mise à jour de la situation épidémiologique Au terme de la semaine épidémiologique 45/2022, 351 nouveaux cas confirmés de COVID-19 ont été notifiés dans 8 provinces dont 225 à Kinshasa, 75 au Kongo-Central, 16 dans le Haut-Katanga, 9 au Nord-Kivu, 9 au SudKivu, 8 au Lualaba, 8 dans le Haut-Uele et 1 à l’Equateur . En outre, au cours de SE45/2022, 19 cas confirmés ont été intégrés dans la liste linéaire des cas COVID-19 après harmonisation du nombre des cas rapportés entre le niveau central et les Divisions provinciales de la santé de Kinshasa , du Kongo-Central et du Sud-Ubangi . D’autre part, 5 nouveaux décès ont été enregistrés parmi les cas confirmés actifs .

17.11.2022 12:10 Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Myanmar Source: Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect Atrocity Alert is a weekly publication by the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect highlighting situations where populations are at risk of, or are enduring, mass atrocity crimes. CIVILIANS PAY A HEAVY PRICE FOR RENEWED VIOLENCE IN NORTH KIVU, DR CONGO Since 11 November the army and fighters from the March 23 Movement armed group have traded heavy fire in villages near Goma, heightening risks to populations in the capital of North Kivu province. The group’s proximity to Goma has incited panic among inhabitants and caused a fresh wave of mass displacement. Large-scale clashes between M23 fighters and the FARDC that have been ongoing in North Kivu since March have when M23 launched a renewed offensive in Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories. Since 20 October at least 188,000 people – primarily women and children – have been displaced in Rutshuru alone. Nearly half of those displaced have gathered in makeshift camps on the outskirts of Goma, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. Community leaders near the frontlines in Rutshuru have reported that approximately 60,000 people remain stuck in territory controlled by M23. Bruno Lemarquis, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC, said, “The clashes of recent weeks have made life even more difficult for tens of thousands of people who, for eight months, have been paying a heavy price. It is important that this violence stops so that civilians can begin to return and resume the course of their lives.” According to the UN, attacks on communities in Rutshuru have occurred almost daily since the offensive began. Both sides continue to utilize heavy and explosive weapons, routinely attacking civilian infrastructure, including health centers and schools, and causing civilian casualties. The World Food Programme reported that suspected M23 fighters targeted six primary schools in Rutshuru and Kiwanja between 6-7 November and forcibly took food stocks. Inhabitants and displaced populations in Rutshuru – considered the breadbasket of Goma – are becoming increasingly isolated as M23-controlled territory has expanded since the end of October. The group has won a string of victories and captured nearly all of Rutshuru and Rwanguba health zones, as well as blocked roads that supply Goma, a similar strategy M23 used when capturing the city in 2012. The lives and livelihoods of millions are threatened because of soaring food prices and shortages. Since March M23 has committed widespread abuses against civilians, including deliberate killings and indiscriminate shelling, among other possible war crimes. All parties to the conflict must respect International Humanitarian Law to prevent further civilian harm. The international community should suspend military assistance to governments found to be supporting the M23 and other abusive armed groups active in eastern DRC. All parties to the conflict must take steps to find a political solution to the ongoing crisis. MYANMAR MILITARY KILLS CIVILIANS IN RAKHINE STATE MASSACRE Last week, on 10 November, military – the Tatmadaw – launched a raid on Sin Inn Gyi village in Ponnagyun Township, killing at least nine civilians and storming and torching homes, according to local media reports. The raid appears to have been in retaliation over an explosive attack by the Arakan Army against a Tatmadaw truck that was carrying food supplies between Paday Thar and Sin Inn Gyi villages earlier the same day. The incident is likely the first massacre committed in Rakhine State between the military and the AA in August. In addition to the raid, the Tatmadaw also sent attack helicopters to the township and bombed AA positions. Thousands of residents from villages on the highway linking Yangon and Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, were forced to flee amid the indiscriminate shelling and raids. The military’s assault on Sin Inn Gyi village likely amounts to crimes against humanity and war crimes. In response to the attack, the AA has threatened to escalate fighting with the Tatmadaw, which would further threaten the safety of civilians. Following months of rising tensions, violent conflict restarted in August between the Tatmadaw and the AA, an ethnic armed organization seeking greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population in Rakhine State. This marked the end of a ceasefire established between the two forces in November 2020 following a brutal 2018-2020 war. Violence has continued to escalate, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reported that more than 16,500 people have been displaced in Rakhine and southern Chin states since August, bringing the total number of people internally displaced from past and present Tatmadaw-AA fighting to over 90,500. Although the military has perpetrated deadly massacres elsewhere in Myanmar, including the in Kachin State that killed at least 80 people, the attack on Sin Inn Gyi village represents a rare escalation in its fighting with the AA. Liam Scott, Myanmar Expert at the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, said, “Populations in Rakhine and southern Chin states are facing an escalating risk of atrocity crimes as the military has started to wantonly target civilians during its fight against the AA. The international community must take concerted steps to prevent further attacks and indiscriminate shelling. States should start by suspending the supply of aviation fuel to Myanmar and imposing arms embargoes and sanctions against the oil and gas sectors.” NEW UN REPORT DOCUMENTS RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND ABUSES IN MALI The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali released a report on 9 November exposing the deadly impact the multidimensional crisis in continues to have on innocent civilians across the country. MINUSMA documented evidence of massacres and hundreds of human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by the Malian defense and security forces, allied mercenaries from the Wagner Group and fighters from armed Islamist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State Sahel Province. Between 1 July and 30 September MINUSMA verified 375 violations and abuses of human rights and International Humanitarian Law , including enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, summary executions and conflict-related sexual violence. The actual figure is likely higher given that MINUSMA has been prevented from accessing sites of various alleged crimes and massacres. The security situation in Mali has deteriorated since the beginning of 2022 as armed Islamist groups have taken advantage of the lack of security presence to expand their activities. In the northeast regions of Gao and Ménaka, there has been a sharp increase in . Armed Islamist groups affiliated with the Islamic State have launched coordinated attacks on dozens of villages and killed hundreds of civilians, targeting primarily ethnic Dawsahak civilians, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee. During the reporting period, MINUSMA documented at least 148 human rights violations in Gao and Ménaka, meaning that these two regions account for more than a third of the total violations recorded. Although armed Islamist groups are the primary sources of violence and insecurity across Mali, the defense and security forces have also committed atrocities, particularly during Operation Kélétigui. Rather than curtailing the activity of armed Islamist groups, the operation has resulted in civilian harm, particularly for populations in the regions of Bandiagara, Douentza, Gao, Mopti and Ségou. MINUSMA documented 162 violations of human rights and IHL attributable to the defense and security forces and their allies – including killings, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests and looting – nearly half of the total violations recorded. Prior to the MINUSMA report, Malian defense and security forces and mercenary fighters had been accused of massacring civilians, including in , Mopti region, and Hombori, Douentza region, earlier this year. Christine Caldera, Central Sahel expert at the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, said, “It is essential that the Malian transitional authorities ensure their counterterrorism operations are undertaken in strict compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law and work to prevent further atrocities. The authorities must strengthen their coordination with MINUSMA and guarantee that the Mission can carry out its mandate, particularly freedom of movement and its human rights investigations.”

17.11.2022 03:31 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: UN Geospatial Information Section Please refer to the attached Map.

17.11.2022 03:31 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Salesian Missions Salesian missionaries have launched a modernization project for Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic in Lubumbashi, . Built in 1987, the Salesian health clinic provides health care to people living in Lubumbashi. After more than 30 years in operation, the clinic is now in a position to expand and upgrade its facilities. At a launch event, Father Ghislain Kaya, general director of Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic, and Father Guillermo Basañes, superior of the Mary Most Holy Assumption of Central Africa Province, laid the foundation stone that launches the new construction. In his speech, Fr. Basañes highlighted that the time had come to modernize the health facility to provide quality health care, and he highlighted the work of Salesians in this region. Fr. Kaya explained the new modernization plan and introduced the construction company that will do the work for the next nine months. Dr. Franck Monga, who is in charge of the Lubumbashi Health District, also attended the ceremony. He acknowledged the value and contribution of Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic for the local community and expressed his confidence on behalf of the people of his area. He thanked the Salesians for the clinic, which has become a partner of the Congolese government in the health sector. Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future. Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country's population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat. ### Sources: ANS Photo ANS -- Salesian Missions -- UNICEF -- *Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control.

17.11.2022 03:31 Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached Infographic. Au moins 262 000 personnes ont été déplacées depuis que les combats entre l’armée congolaise et le Mouvement du 23 mars ont éclaté dans le territoire de Rutshuru en mars ; plus de 7 000 autres ont trouvé refuge en Ouganda. La majorité de ces personnes déplacées se trouvent dans le territoire de Nyiragongo , dont plus de 88% vivent dans des centres collectifs et des sites improvisés, tandis que le reste est hébergé dans des familles d'accueil. Plus de 137 000 personnes déplacées ont été contraintes de retourner dans leurs localités d'origine dans les zones de santé de Rutshuru et Rwanguba, lorsque les combats se sont intensifiés en octobre. Les mouvements de population restent dynamiques et évoluent selon le contexte sécuritaire.

17.11.2022 03:31 Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached Infographic. At least 262,000 people are estimated to have been displaced since fighting broke out between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group in Rutshuru territory in March; more than 7,000 others have sought refuge in Uganda. The majority of these displaced persons are in Nyiragongo Territory , more than 88% of whom live in collective centers and improvised sites, while the rest are staying with host families. More than 137,000 displaced people were forced to return to their localities of origin in Rutshuru and Rwanguba health zones, when fighting intensified in October. Population movements remain dynamic and evolve according to the security context.

17.11.2022 03:31 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. HIGHLIGHTS More than 262,0001 people displaced since the outbreak of clashes in Rutshuru territory in March. Children in combat zones and those displaced are disproportionately affected by the ongoing violence: between 20 October and 15 November, at least 326 unaccompanied children were identified in Nyiragongo, Rutshuru and Lubero territories. Despite access challenges, United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners continue their relief activities in Nyiragongo and Lubero territories, and some areas in Rutshuru territory, where the security situation permits. More than 83,000 people reached with humanitarian assistance since 20 October. SITUATION OVERVIEW New population movements are being reported in Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories following persistent fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group. Some 13,000 displaced people were registered across a handful of displacement sites in the towns Kanyaruchinya and Kibati, north of the provincial capital Goma on 12 and 13 November, according to the Committee of Displaced People. At least 262,000 people are estimated to have been displaced since fighting broke out in March; 128,000 of them have settled in Nyiragongo Territory alone, more than 88% of whom live in collective centers and improvised sites. More than 124,000 sought refuge in Bwito area in Rutshuru territory, and in Kayna health zone, south of Lubero territory, where humanitarians have been carrying out rapid assessments to tailor their response to the changing needs of the affected population. The remaining 10,000 live in Binza Health Zone in Rutshuru territory, where insecurity is restricting humanitarian access to affected populations. Despite the uncertainty of the security situation, UN agencies and humanitarian partners have continued their relief activities in Nyiragongo and Lubero territories, and some areas in Rutshuru territory, where the security situation permits. According to the Emergency Response Plan elaborated by the humanitarian community, at least 630,000 civilians will need assistance as a result of the violence, some 241,000 of whom have been targeted by humanitarian actors. Humanitarians require 76.3 million USD to meet their needs, 58% of which is yet to be raised.

16.11.2022 19:10 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Heavy rainfall has been affecting the Souh-Kivu Province since 13 November, triggering landslides and causing floods and a number of severe weather-related incidents that have resulted in casualties and damage. Media report, as of 16 November, four fatalities, several injured people and destroyed houses across the Bunyakiri Town due to a landslide that occurred on 15 November. In addition, three people died, one person has been injured and one house has been destroyed following a wall collapse due to the heavy rainfall in Bukavu City . Over the next 48 hours, very heavy rainfall is forecast over the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular over the already affected South Kivu Province.

16.11.2022 02:30 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: UN Security Council Please refer to the attached file. Résumé Le présent rapport, établi en application de la résolution et des résolutions ultérieures du Conseil de sécurité, est le huitième rapport du Secrétaire général sur les enfants et le conflit armé en République démocratique du Congo. Il porte sur la période du 1er avril 2020 au 31 mars 2022 et donne principalement des informations sur les six violations graves commises contre des enfants, les auteurs de ces actes et le contexte dans lequel ceux-ci ont été commis. Le rapport présente les tendances et constantes des violations graves commises contre des enfants par toutes les parties au conflit et donne un aperçu des progrès accomplis dans la lutte contre ces violations, notamment au moyen de l’application de plans d’action et d’autres mesures pour la protection de l’enfance. Le rapport conclut par une série de recommandations visant à faire cesser et prévenir les violations graves contre les enfants en République démocratique du Congo et à renforcer la protection des enfants. I. Introduction Le présent rapport, établi en application de la résolution du Conseil de sécurité et des résolutions ultérieures, couvre la période allant du 1 er avril 2020 au 31 mars 2022. Il s’agit du huitième rapport du Secrétaire général sur les enfants et le conflit armé en République démocratique du Congo soumis au Conseil de sécurité et à son groupe de travail sur les enfants et les conflits armés. Le rapport met en évidence les tendances et les constantes observées en matière de violations graves commises contre les enfants par les parties au conflit en République démocratique du Congo et présente des informations détaillées sur les progrès faits dans la prévention et l’éradication de ces violations depuis le précédent rapport et sur l’adoption, par le groupe de travail sur les enfants et les conflits armés, de conclusions sur les enfants et le conflit armé en Somalie . Il comprend également un aperçu des progrès et des problèmes rencontrés dans l’établissement d’un dialogue avec les parties au conflit. Chaque fois que possible, les parties responsables de violations graves ont été identifiées. Les Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo restent inscrites sur la liste figurant à l’annexe I du dernier rapport du Secrétaire général sur les enfants et les conflits armés en tant que partie ayant pris des mesures visant à améliorer la protection des enfants, tandis que 12 groupes armés ayant commis une ou plusieurs violations continuent de figurer sur la liste des parties n’ayant pas mis en place de telles mesures. Les informations figurant dans le présent rapport ont été confirmées au moyen du mécanisme de surveillance et de communication de l’information sur les violations graves commises contre des enfants en situation de conflit armé par l’équipe spéciale de pays des Nations Unies chargée de la surveillance et de la communication de l’information sur la République démocratique du Congo, qui est coprésidée par la Mission de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo et le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l’enfance . L’équipe spéciale de pays n’a pas toujours pu vérifier ces informations du fait des problèmes de sécurité, des activités des groupes armés, de l’« état de siège » dans les provinces du Nord-Kivu et de l’Ituri et des opérations militaires des FARDC contre les groupes armés. Les menaces pour la santé publique, telles que l’épidémie d’Ebola au Nord-Kivu et les mesures liées à la pandémie de maladie à coronavirus 2019 pendant la période considérée, ont également compliqué sérieusement l’accès aux lieux et la vérification des incidents. Par conséquent, les informations figurant dans le présent rapport ne rendent pas compte de toute l’étendue des violations graves commises contre des enfants en République démocratique du Congo pendant la période considérée, et le nombre réel de ces violations est probablement beaucoup plus élevé. Une précision est apportée à chaque fois que les faits confirmés se sont produits à une date antérieure à la période considérée.

16.11.2022 02:30 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: UN Security Council Please refer to the attached file. Summary The present report, submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution and subsequent resolutions, is the eighth report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It covers the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2022 and the information provided focuses on the six grave violations committed against children, the perpetrators thereof and the context in which the violations took place. The report sets out the trends and patterns of grave violations against children by all parties to the conflict and provides details on progress made in addressing grave violations against children, including through the implementation of action plans and other child protection commitments. The report concludes with a series of recommendations to end and prevent grave violations against children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and improve the protection of children. I. Introduction The present report, submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution and subsequent resolutions, covers the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2022. It is the eighth report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be submitted to the Security Council and its Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. The report highlights trends and patterns of grave violations committed against children by parties to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and provides details of the progress made to end and prevent such violations since the previous report and the adoption by the Working Group of its conclusions on the situation of children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It also contains information on progress and challenges in the dialogue with parties to the conflict. Where possible, parties responsible for grave violations are identified. In annex I to the most recent report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict , the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo remained listed for sexual violence against children under the list of parties that have taken measures aimed at improving the protection of children, while 12 armed groups continued to be listed for one or more violations under the list of parties that have not put in place such measures. The information contained in the present report was verified, through the monitoring and reporting mechanism on children and armed conflict, by the United Nations country task force on monitoring and reporting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is co-chaired by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations Children’s Fund . The ability of the country task force to verify information on violations was at times hampered by security constraints, the activities of armed groups, the “state of siege” in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces and ongoing military operations by FARDC against armed groups. Public health threats such as the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu and measures related to the coronavirus disease pandemic during the reporting period have also posed serious challenges with regard to accessing locations and verifying incidents. Consequently, the information contained in the present report does not represent the full extent of grave violations committed against children in the country, and the actual number of violations is likely higher. Where incidents were committed earlier but verified only during the reporting period, that information is qualified as relating to an incident that was verified at a later date.

16.11.2022 02:30 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Around the world, only half of the people living with type one diabetes have access to insulin. In the places where Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières is present, our teams work to make diabetes care accessible for everyone who needs it. In North Kivu, , MSF doctor Grazia Caleo found that many children with diabetes could not get the care they needed. “They were not even going to visit the hospital because they couldn’t afford a boat, the transport to reach the hospital, or the treatment, access to insulin,” she said. "We have a duty, a responsibility to make sure that those patients are not left behind." MSF is calling for companies to make insulin pens and vials cheaper in low- and middle-income countries, and for countries to make public their prices for “diabetes bundles”—insulin, injection devices for insulin, and glucose monitoring devices—to help other governments and care providers with their price negotiations. See the video

15.11.2022 17:50 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: World Bank Every day, everywhere, people need to eat. In the Democratic Republic of Congo , this often means preparing fufu, a mixture of cassava flour and cornmeal stirred into boiling water over a source of heat. And that heat, in most cases, comes from charcoal or firewood, both extracted from Congolese forests. Although solar panels can be seen here and there on the thatch roofs of tiny villages and in the courtyards of modern homes powering lightbulbs and charging phones, cooking requires stronger and steadier heat. “My first choice is charcoal,” said Alpha Mweme, a young woman in the town of Nioki in Mai Ndombe Province. One bag of charcoal lasts her family one month. “If I can’t afford charcoal, I look for firewood. And if I don’t have wood, I can’t cook.” Only 3.7 % of the population in DRC had access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking in 2020. In rural areas, that percentage was almost nil - 0.5 % according to the same report. A pervasive system of charcoal-makers, porters, and river barges moves charcoal into villages and towns, all the way to the capital city of Kinshasa, while women carry large bundles of firewood, day-in and day-out, on their backs. The lack of alternatives to woodfuel results not only in time-consuming labor and illness related to air pollution, but also in a steady degradation of DRC’s forests, threatening the integrity of the world’s second largest rainforest. In Mai-Ndombe Province, that approach is championed by the Integrated REDD+ project, known as PIREDD/Mai-Ndombe, implemented by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development since 2018 with support from the World Bank and financing from the multi-donor and the Global Environment Facility . Rather than pitting people against trees, or development against the environment, the six-year project seeks to tackle the energy poverty and low agricultural yields at the root of most deforestation. To date, the project has: facilitated the design of 480 land use plans validated by local development committees; generated 4,325 hectares of agroforestry plantations combining a range of crops and trees that create additional income for the communities; set aside nearly 10,000 hectares of savanna and 2 194 hectares of forest for fire protection and natural regeneration, increasing vegetation, biodiversity, and carbon storage; rewarded the efforts of project participants with $1.7 million in payments for environmental services. In Konkia, a rural community outside of Nioki, a new 81-hectare acacia tree plantation established in the open savanna stretches as far as a drone’s eye can see. Combining environmental and economic benefits, it’s emblematic of the project’s people-centered philosophy. In the plantation’s first year, cassava was intercropped with acacia seedlings to demonstrate the benefits of growing crops in the open savanna. “Farmers were skeptical at first,” conceded Jean Claude Muwo, an agronomist working for the Ministry of Environment and the PIREDD/Mai-Ndombe project, “because people are used to farming in the forest.” But the higher yields and stronger pest resistance of the cassava variety introduced in the savanna has begun to make converts. The hope is that more farmers will abandon slash and burn agriculture in forest areas, a practice that provides an initial fertility boost for crops in the first couple of years after trees are cleared but contributes to significant deforestation in DRC. The plantation’s acacia trees, now two and three years old, already provide shade and a favorable habitat for the return of mushrooms, berries, and antelopes on once marginal land. Villagers also scour the undergrowth for wild cassava leaves and caterpillar that provide nutrition during the dry season. And once the trees reach maturity – typically after seven years – they will be harvested to produce charcoal. “One hectare of acacia forest contains 1,100 trees that can yield about 500 bags of charcoal,” said Muwo. If the 81 hectares of acacia continue to be well managed, protected from fires, and replenished, this production could provide significant incomes over time and contribute to reducing the pressure on natural forests by meeting energy demand in a more sustainable manner. They are a promising part of the “nature-based solutions” to slow climate change which are the focus of global attention at this week. Deforestation and forest degradation are also taking a toll locally, calling for urgent national attention. Forest loss is visible in the daily outflow of wood carted off on backs and bicycles, from the receding forest near Inongo. It’s also tangible for hunters in Mombokonda, home to roughly 750 people who identify as Indigenous People, about 12 km north of Inongo, the capital of Mai-Ndombe province. “In the past, we lived right next to dense forest. We would already have seen some game by now,” commented Jacques Bokolo, the secretary of the local development committee, as a small group of hunters and dogs made their way through forest regrowth, vines, and bushes to check on animal traps. “Animals have withdrawn to the marshy forest areas where people can’t farm and there is less fire and less noise.” As a result, villagers have requested help with permanent structures to raise small livestock – ducks, goats, pigs, and bees – in a departure from their customary way of life. The structures, still unfinished, represent a realization that the forest can no longer meet all their needs. “I grow corn, beans, cassava, eggplants, amaranth, squash…” said Nzako Ilanga, rattling off the list of crops she grows in the burned field in the forest near the same village. “I sell part of the crops to face expenses but it’s often not enough to buy things like soap and clothes. I also help family members when they have a problem,” says the mother of seven children, “so I often go without food.” But it continues to provide food and energy for millions of Congolese. “Forests are a resource of basic necessity for a majority of the poorest people in DRC,” says Pierre Guigon, Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank. “The PIREDD model provides a way for communities to improve their livelihoods and meet a greater share of their energy and food security needs through agroforestry in savanna areas. It’s an investment simultaneously in poverty reduction and greater resilience and sustainability.” Seen from the productive and reforested savanna in Konkia, this experience promises better days for both people and trees.