UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 27 — Persistent fighting and restrictions in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) province of South Kivu have severely limited humanitarian access, UN humanitarians said Wednesday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it was sounding the alarm over the rapidly deteriorating situation in South Kivu province, particularly in the Fizi and Mwenga territories.
OCHA said that fighting among armed groups and restrictions during the second and third quarters of 2025 have severely limited humanitarian access or made it impossible in some places, including the localities of Minembwe and Itombwe, as well as the Hauts Plateaux.
“Since May, these areas have faced near-total isolation due to severe restrictions imposed by armed groups, including the closure of key roads linking the locality of Fizi to Minembwe and the denial of access for humanitarian organizations,” the office said.
It said that reported threats have also forced several non-governmental organizations to withdraw, adding that the impact on civilians is devastating.
OCHA said that in the locality of Minembwe alone, more than 170,000 displaced people and returnees are cut off from essential assistance.
The health system is struggling to cope with prolonged medicine shortages, while at Minembwe Hospital, children accounted for 60 percent of all deaths between July and September, and the mortality rate for severe acute malnutrition has reached nearly 30 percent, the office said.
The food security situation is also deteriorating rapidly, OCHA said, with road blockages driving up the prices of basic staples.
OCHA’s humanitarian partners have prepositioned supplies, including medicine and nutrition kits, in neighboring towns, but cannot deliver due to the insecurity, said the office.
“It is urgent that all parties protect civilians and ensure safe, unhindered humanitarian access so that life-saving aid can reach those trapped by violence,” said OCHA. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
