DRC Government Humanitarian Mission Moves to Tanzania

Dar es Salaam, January 12, 2026 - The humanitarian mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Sunday, January 11, marking the second leg of its regional tour after Burundi. The delegation is led by Ève Bazaiba Masudi, Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and National Solidarity, and Crispin Mbadu Phanzu, Minister Delegate for Francophonie and the Diaspora. The mission follows decisions of the Council of Ministers after the occupation of Uvira in South Kivu by the AFC/M23, supported by Rwanda. Its objectives include delivering humanitarian assistance to Congolese refugees in Kigoma, strengthening coordination with Tanzanian and Burundian authorities, and mobilizing international partners in response to the regional humanitarian crisis. Ève Bazaiba noted that more than 67,000 Congolese had already received assistance at the Busuma site in Burundi, calling it an act of national solidarity. She emphasized that the delegation’s mission is to bring comfort, hope, and moral support to displaced compatriots in Burundi and Tanzania, while working for the return of peace. Despite the difficult living conditions in displacement camps, she stressed that the Congolese government will spare no effort to support its citizens and remains fully committed to the Doha and Washington peace processes. “Every minute that passes worsens the suffering, not only for Congolese people but also for host communities, the region, and the world,” she said. The humanitarian situation in Burundi continues to deteriorate following intensified fighting between the AFC/M23 and Congolese government forces in eastern DRC, particularly after the fall of Uvira. These clashes have caused mass displacement, despite the rebels’ announced withdrawal. The situation has reached a critical threshold, with a massive influx of refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence in South Kivu. Since early December, more than 84,000 people have crossed into Burundi, bringing the total number of Congolese refugees and asylum seekers there to over 200,000. Transit centers and informal settlements are severely overcrowded, some reaching nearly 200% capacity, plunging hundreds of families into extreme vulnerability. Shortages of clean water, sanitation, shelter, food, and medicine heighten the risk of cholera and other life-threatening diseases. To ease pressure, the Burundian government has designated a new reception site in Bweru, in Ruyigi Buhumuza province, where nearly 21,000 refugees have been transferred. However, conditions remain harsh, with many families still sleeping outdoors due to a lack of adequate shelter. Across the border in South Kivu, ongoing violence, drone strikes, and bombings have forced more than 500,000 people to flee their homes, many of them multiple times this year. Dozens of schools have been turned into overcrowded shelters, and the first cholera cases have been reported. Persistent insecurity continues to restrict humanitarian access, limiting the ability of aid workers to reach populations in acute distress. This humanitarian deterioration comes amid controversy surrounding the announced AFC/M23 withdrawal from Uvira, which Congolese authorities view as an attempt to divert attention and reduce international pressure, particularly on Kigali, considered the main supporter of the rebellion. On the ground, the AFC/M23 continues to consolidate its control, establishing a parallel administration beyond the authority of Kinshasa. The fall of Uvira, a strategic city in South Kivu, has strengthened the rebellion’s grip on both North and South Kivu, raising fears of a potential advance toward Greater Katanga, regarded as the economic heartland of the DRC.

Faits rapportés

Dar es Salaam, January 12, 2026 - The humanitarian mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Sunday, January 11, marking the second leg of its regional tour after Burundi. The delegation is led by Ève Bazaiba Masudi, Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and National Solidarity, and Crispin Mbadu Phanzu, Minister Delegate for Francophonie and the Diaspora. The mission follows decisions of the Council of Ministers after the occupation of Uvira in South Kivu by the AFC/M23, supported by Rwanda. Its objectives include delivering humanitarian assistance to Congolese refugees in Kigoma, strengthening coordination with Tanzanian and Burundian authorities, and mobilizing international partners in response to the regional humanitarian crisis. Ève Bazaiba noted that more than 67,000 Congolese had already received assistance at the Busuma site in Burundi, calling it an act of national solidarity. She emphasized that the delegation’s mission is to bring comfort, hope, and moral support to displaced compatriots in Burundi and Tanzania, while working for the return of peace. Despite the difficult living conditions in displacement camps, she stressed that the Congolese government will spare no effort to support its citizens and remains fully committed to the Doha and Washington peace processes. “Every minute that passes worsens the suffering, not only for Congolese people but also for host communities, the region, and the world,” she said. The humanitarian situation in Burundi continues to deteriorate following intensified fighting between the AFC/M23 and Congolese government forces in eastern DRC, particularly after the fall of Uvira. These clashes have caused mass displacement, despite the rebels’ announced withdrawal. The situation has reached a critical threshold, with a massive influx of refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence in South Kivu. Since early December, more than 84,000 people have crossed into Burundi, bringing the total number of Congolese refugees and asylum seekers there to over 200,000. Transit centers and informal settlements are severely overcrowded, some reaching nearly 200% capacity, plunging hundreds of families into extreme vulnerability. Shortages of clean water, sanitation, shelter, food, and medicine heighten the risk of cholera and other life-threatening diseases. To ease pressure, the Burundian government has designated a new reception site in Bweru, in Ruyigi Buhumuza province, where nearly 21,000 refugees have been transferred. However, conditions remain harsh, with many families still sleeping outdoors due to a lack of adequate shelter. Across the border in South Kivu, ongoing violence, drone strikes, and bombings have forced more than 500,000 people to flee their homes, many of them multiple times this year. Dozens of schools have been turned into overcrowded shelters, and the first cholera cases have been reported. Persistent insecurity continues to restrict humanitarian access, limiting the ability of aid workers to reach populations in acute distress. This humanitarian deterioration comes amid controversy surrounding the announced AFC/M23 withdrawal from Uvira, which Congolese authorities view as an attempt to divert attention and reduce international pressure, particularly on Kigali, considered the main supporter of the rebellion. On the ground, the AFC/M23 continues to consolidate its control, establishing a parallel administration beyond the authority of Kinshasa. The fall of Uvira, a strategic city in South Kivu, has strengthened the rebellion’s grip on both North and South Kivu, raising fears of a potential advance toward Greater Katanga, regarded as the economic heartland of the DRC.