Canada To Donate 39 Million Dollars For IDPs, Refugees And Victims of Nyiragongo Eruption

The government of Canada has announced it would give humanitarian aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo to the tune of 39 million Canadian dollars for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

This assistance would allow the distribution of foodstuff and potable water, the treatment of persons affected by severe malnutrition as well as assist in the repairs of habitats damaged by the May 22, 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcanic eruption.

“For this year, Canadian humanitarian aid would amount to 39 million Canadian dollars. This is an increase of 23.4 per cent as compared to last year’s assistance which stood at 32 million dollars,” Benoit-Pierre Laramee, the Canadian Ambassador to the DR Congo said on Thursday, July 8, 2021.

The Canadian envoy was speaking at a press conference in the presence of Modeste Mutinga, DR Congo Minister of Social Affairs and Humanitarian Actions, and Peter Musoko, the Interim UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the DR Congo.

“This contribution aims at responding to the needs of Congolese who are victims of conflicts in the country or natural disasters, displaced persons or refugees,” he explained.

“Canadian humanitarian assistance consists, for example, the protection of persons in vulnerable situations, the distribution of foodstuff and portable water, treatment against severe malnutrition, provision of shelter and essential household articles, sanitation and access to health care, medical and psycho-social assistance to survivors of sexual violence, prevention services and identification of infections by numerous illnesses as well as the search for contacts within the context of the reunification of families.”

On his part,  Modeste Mutinga, the Congolese Minister of Social Affairs and Humanitarian Actions, said the government would be “closely associated in the utilisation of these funds with a view to responding to the needs of the population.”

“We can be happy for this aid because we are faced with major difficulties. Scientific sampling has shown that the DR Congo records at least 19 million persons living in food insecurity and humanitarian operators consider that as severe insecurity which should attract our attention,” the Minister said.

“We are happy to thank Canada for this substantial aid and we are proud of it. I sincerely thank Mr. Ambassador in the name of the government.”

“This important sum would be distributed between the humanitarian agencies of the United Nations working in the DR Congo. Our wish is that our ministry and government be closely associated in the utilization of this important aid.”

“We are afraid that this aid does not reach Goma, Ituri in bits. It is important that this assistance is felt by the Congolese population.”

The DR Congo has for several years been confronted by the violent activities of armed groups causing humanitarian crises with millions of internally displaced persons exposed to illness and famine.

This Canadian contribution will be distributed in Ituri 35 per cent, North Kivu 28 per cent, South Kivu 16 per cent, Tanganyika 11 per cent and Maniema 10 per cent.