by Woody Collins, Congo Helping Hands
Summary: As Congo grapples with deadly floods in Kinshasa and peace talks with M23 rebels in Doha, a humanitarian crisis deepens in the east. Over 1.2 million displaced people face “subhuman” conditions in camps, while aid organizations struggle with funding shortages.
Around 30 people have died in flooding in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, following torrential weekend rains that destroyed homes and roads. The Ndjili River overflowed Friday night, blocking the main national road and leaving drivers stranded. Several neighborhoods lost power, and water infrastructure was affected, with restoration expected within days. Kinshasa’s Governor blamed illegal housing for some deaths and threatened evictions from unplanned settlements. The flooding crisis comes as the country faces continued challenges from Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the east, where over 7,000 people were killed in the first two months of the year.
Congolese officials and M23 rebel negotiators have arrived in Doha for peace talks aimed at establishing a ceasefire in eastern Congo. The talks follow a March meeting between Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame, mediated by Qatar. M23’s recent offensive has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands while giving them control over mineral-rich borderlands. While both delegations confirmed a face-to-face meeting Wednesday, challenges remain. Congo claims Rwanda backs M23 with troops and arms, which Rwanda denies. The rebels previously withdrew from talks in Angola following EU sanctions on M23 and Rwandan officials. A Congolese government source, meanwhile, cautioned that any resolution of the conflict would take months.
Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, has criticized world leaders for neglecting the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, where 1.2 million people have fled M23 rebel advances. He described “subhuman” conditions in Goma’s displacement camps, with overcrowded classrooms serving as shelters and inadequate sanitation. Aid organizations struggle with funding delays, particularly after President Trump’s freeze on US aid spending. The situation has worsened since M23’s offensive began, with rebels forcing displaced people to evacuate camps with just 72 hours’ notice. Egeland called for both political settlement and immediate humanitarian assistance.
For now, Congo seems to have settled into a new and more-unsecure NORMAL. And we hope and pray that conditions will remain to be stable without any renewed fighting. Finally, we pray that humanitarian assistance is made available to eastern Congo.