Donate 
[Paris, January 30, 2025] For more than two years, the province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been gripped by a major conflict. The capture of Goma by the M23 armed group plunged the region into an unprecedented spiral of violence, worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. After having had to urgently suspend their activities, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL teams are once again on deck to help the Congolese people seriously affected by the ongoing clashes in Goma.
The occupation of the city of Goma by the armed group M23 has triggered a new escalation of violence, exacerbating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian and security crisis, which has been going on for decades. Congolese civilians are the primary victims of this resumption of hostilities of unprecedented intensity between the antigovernment armed group and the Congolese army: over 100 people are already reported dead, and at least a thousand more are wounded ¹.
This new offensive has also worsened the forced displacement crisis: the fighting has led to more than 500.000 displaced persons since the beginning of January², many of whom have fled to Goma, where an estimated 1 million people are now seeking refuge. Families who had been living in camps surrounding the city were forced to flee in haste and now find themselves on their own in the bomb- and bullet-ravaged streets of Goma.
For 25 years, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL has been operating in the areas most affected by the conflict. The 275 staff members on the ground were quickly brought to safety but are still in shock from the intensity of the fighting. The NGO had to evacuate its teams from Goma and abruptly interrupt its activities related to water access, hygiene, and sanitation, which had been benefiting several hundred thousand people across the DRC.
“The situation is unprecedented: in addition to the unimaginable violence, there is no electricity and no water in Goma. The health risk has multiplied, as several diseases, including cholera, have already been spreading in the country for years!”’ warns Justine Muzik-Piquemal, Regional Director for the DRC at SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL. Despite the severity of the situation, the NGO teams in Goma are ready to provide an emergency response by distributing water to displaced people and setting up functional latrines.
In the face of this disaster and a particularly unstable situation, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL calls for strict compliance to international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, as well as humanitarian workers.
To provide rapid assistance to the most vulnerable, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is launching a fundraising appeal: Donate to SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL – Humanitarian Missions.
Press contact :
Spokespeople are available in French and English.
Claire Morand / +33 7 85 42 56 99 / +33 1 76 21 87 87
cmorand@solidarites.org Or presse@solidarites.org
Website : solidarites.org/fr/
X : @Solidarites_Int - Instagram : @solidaritesinternational