In a powerful rebuke of the international community, Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has called out world powers for ignoring the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
During a recent visit to displacement camps outside Goma, where over 1.2 million people have been forced to flee due to the advance of M23 rebels, Egeland described scenes of human suffering that, in his words, should “shame world leaders.”
Imagine this: 25 people crammed into a single classroom, using it as shelter by night and moving their few belongings every morning so it can serve its daytime purpose. Overflowing latrines, no access to clean water, and the stench of neglect — this is the daily reality for thousands in makeshift camps like Nyiragongo, which the NRC has since tried to rehabilitate.
“International aid is being slashed while suffering skyrockets. This isn’t just a crisis—it’s a collapse of human empathy,” Egeland said in an interview with The Guardian.
Many of the displaced in North and South Kivu provinces have already lived through years of upheaval. Some, like Beatrice, have lost everything. Her husband and one of her children were killed in the conflict. Now, she scavenges for plastic bottles to feed two babies—alone, and with no help in sight.
“I beg to survive,” she told aid workers.
Since the M23 rebellion reignited in 2022, the situation in eastern Congo has spiraled. The Rwandan-backed rebel group has seized vast territories, including strategic towns and the city of Goma. And with every advancement, more civilians are pushed out of their homes—only to find the camps no longer safe either.
Egeland shared alarming reports of M23 forces evicting displaced families from camps with as little as 72 hours' notice. With few options, many are returning to towns now under rebel control, hoping for temporary safety. But survival comes at a cost: destroyed homes, no food security, and no aid.
One of the most concerning challenges? Funding has dried up. Even aid projects approved by the U.S. government have seen delays due to a freeze on spending initiated during Donald Trump’s presidency. Many NGOs are still waiting on payments for work completed over a year ago.
Only a handful of countries, like Norway, have fast-tracked their pledges, allowing some operations—like NRC’s—to stay afloat. But across the board, aid workers are stretched to their limits.
“There’s a small window of opportunity now—people want to return and rebuild,” Egeland explained. “But the money isn’t coming in. And without it, nothing moves.”
While the humanitarian need is urgent, Egeland stressed that financial support alone won’t fix the crisis. A long-term political solution is essential to ending the cycle of displacement and violence in the region. Cash aid is critical—not just to feed families, but to restore livelihoods and allow communities to rebuild homes, schools, and some semblance of normalcy.
One of the most biting observations from Egeland was his critique of a growing “self-centered mindset” in Western nations. He pointed to nationalist politics in Europe and the United States as driving factors behind cuts in international aid and a retreat from global solidarity.
“The world’s gaze has shifted inward,” he said. “Meanwhile, millions in Congo are left to suffer in silence.”
As the humanitarian crisis in the DRC deepens, so too does the deafening silence from global leaders. The conflict might seem far removed from daily life in the West, but the moral implications are universal.
This isn’t just another crisis. It’s a test of humanity. And so far, the world is failing.