Democratic Republic of the Congo
What to know about the armed conflict in North and South Kivu
The armed conflict between the M23/AFC armed group and the Congolese army, backed by their allies, has spread from North Kivu to the neighbouring province of South Kivu.
3 questions on the intensification of the armed conflict in North and South Kivu
The northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has endured decades of insecurity since the fallout of the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda. Driven by ethnic tensions and a fight for resources, the protracted violence involves over 100 armed groups (such as the M23), as well as Congolese government forces and UN peacekeepers. Millions of people have been displaced, infectious disease outbreaks are frequent and access to essential healthcare is a critical need.
The conflict has spilled over into South Kivu province and recently brought the front line even closer to the civilian population, and has reached Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, where 650,000 people have already been displaced into makeshift camps alongside an estimate of 2 million people living in the city.
After heavy fighting, the M23/AFC took control of most of Goma at the end of January 2025 and announced on February 6 the establishment of a new parallel administration (mayors, administrators) in Goma – not recognized by DRC’s official government.
Despite the hostilities, MSF teams continued to provide medical assistance to affected communities through its regular and emergency projects in North and South Kivu.
MSF's response
On February 6, 2025
A week after M23/AFC managed to seize most of the city, MSF teams were already:
- supporting 2 hospitals for the treatment of wounded (Kyeshero and Virunga hospitals);
- collected and distributed blood bags for overwhelmed hospitals;
and were able to return to several displacement sites to support local health centres; expand and/or re-establish cholera treatment units and special clinics for survivors of sexual violence (Tumaini clinics); provide food and water and fuel for water pumping stations; empty latrines and install hand-washing facilities.
Priorities at this stage remain the care of the wounded and reducing the risk of cholera outbreaks, which is a concern due to unsafe water sources, inadequate sanitation and displacement.
MSF teams continue to assess humanitarian needs every day, both in the camps and in the city, as the impact on the population is enormous. The next few days will allow us to assess the next steps.
In 2023, as violence escalated in eastern DRC, displacing record numbers of civilians, MSF increased activities to respond to the growing humanitarian needs.
Our activities in 2023
million outpatient consultation
million vaccinations against measles in response to an outbreak
malaria cases treated
people treated for sexual violence
surgical interventions
people with advanced HIV under MSF care
À la fin de l’année, 5,6 millions de personnes étaient déplacées dans les provinces du Nord-Kivu, du Sud-Kivu et de l’Ituri. MSF a également répondu à de nombreuses autres situations d’urgence dans tout le pays, notamment des épidémies, des inondations et des glissements de terrain.
Lire la suite dans le rapport d'activités international 2023