General information

Action Against Hunger's Mission

Launch Date: January 1996
International staff: 40
National staff: 600

Key figures

Population: 69 million
HDI: 177 out of 179

Humanitarian context

The huge size of the country and the extent of the needs explain the slow improvement in the standard of living amongst the population despite the peace agreement. Although the country is officially now at peace, malnutrition, lack of access to basic services and food insecurity remain the norm. ACF has a nationwide nutrition programme and is permanently present in 7 provinces out of 11.

Over the few last years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen the transition from a situation of all-out war, through political and security deadlock and internationally sponsored negotiations, to a transitional period that led to the country’s first democratic elections in 2006. As a result of recent developments during the past months and the support of the international community during this transitional period, the country is becoming more and more stable and the security situation is improving in most parts of the country. Nevertheless the impact of 40 years of the Mobutu regime and 2 consecutive wars (that caused directly or indirectly the death of 4 million people) still constitute an important strain on the country. The infrastructure and basic services to the population have been destroyed, and livelihoods threatened. The food security of the communities is very weak, while the conflict is continuing in some parts of the country (Kivu, Orientale) leading to massive displacements of people and human rights violations over the last 2 years. Access to clean water and sanitation is scarce and cholera outbreaks are frequent in Katanga and the Kivu. Unexpected pockets of acute malnutrition are still being discovered in non war affected areas, mainly the Kasais in 2008.

Action Against Hunger in D.R.Congo

Funding

UNDP, CIDA, ECHO, AECI, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNICEF, FAO