CONGO PEACE FRAMEWORK FAILS TO STOP HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE AS 25 MILLION FACE STARVATION

Despite the signing of a peace framework between the DRC Government and M23 rebels, the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains precarious, with lives at stake and thousands still displaced from their homes.

The framework agreement was signed in Doha, Qatar on November 15, 2025, with all parties hoping it will lead to meaningful and lasting peace in Eastern DRC, but the impact of the decades long conflict continues devastating the population.

Professor Mapenzi Lumeto, Project Officer of the Union of Baptist Churches of Congo, told Christian Daily International that thousands of people in the conflict areas of North Kivu and South Kivu have been displaced by war between DRC forces and Rwanda backed M23 rebels.

Many have fled to already overcrowded and under resourced displacement camps and sites. The conflict has caused severe food insecurity, prevented people from accessing essential supplies, and disrupted farming activities.

"There has been widespread human rights abuses, including massacres, kidnappings, sexual violence and targeted attacks on civilians and aid workers," Lumeto stated.

The World Food Programme reports that about 25 million people in DRC experience high levels of food insecurity, including an alarming three million individuals who face emergency levels of hunger, a number that has almost doubled since last year.

"For families, this means skipping meals and depleting all household assets. They're selling off their animals," explained Cynthia Jones, WFP's Country Director for DRC.

In eastern DRC, the conflict has displaced about 5.2 million people, including 1.6 million this year alone, making the country one of the world's largest displacement crises.

Without a significant funding boost, the WFP warns of a "total pipeline break" in assistance by March 2026, with emergency food assistance in the eastern provinces halting completely.

Jones emphasized the WFP needs approximately $350 million to support emergency food and nutrition assistance over the next six months.

The food security situation will likely worsen between January and June 2026 as 26.6 million people, 22 percent of the population, face severe food insecurity. This represents an increase of 1.8 million people compared to the current period.

Despite peace efforts starting early this year and the recent framework signing, the situation on the ground has not shifted toward de escalation. Conflict continued even during the truce.

Benjamin Mbonimpa, representing the M23 delegation in Doha, argued the agreement contains "no binding clauses" and will not change "the situation on the ground."

THE CRUSADER'S OPINION

The M23 representative admits the agreement has no binding clauses and changes nothing on the ground.

This is peace theater while people die.

Framework agreements, protocols, phased approaches, confidence building measures.

Diplomatic language that means nothing when you are selling your last animal to feed your children.

Five point two million displaced.

Three million facing emergency hunger.

Food aid runs out in March.

But we have a framework.

Congo's crisis is what happens when international community prioritizes process over results.

Sign agreements.

Issue statements.

Hold conferences in Qatar.

Meanwhile, the actual war continues and actual people starve.

The World Food Programme needs $350 million for six months.

That is less than Western nations spend on one weapons system.

But Congo is not strategic enough to save.

So we get frameworks instead of food.

Protocols instead of protection.

Baptist churches in Congo are trying to help their own people while the world watches and does nothing.

That is the Church substituting for failed governments and indifferent nations.

TAKE ACTION

1. Donate to World Food Programme's DRC emergency response providing food assistance to 25 million people facing starvation. Visit wfp.org or call +1 (202) 653-0010 to contribute to the $350 million needed before aid completely runs out in March 2026.
2. Support Congolese churches providing humanitarian relief through the Union of Baptist Churches of Congo. Contact Baptist World Alliance at bwanet.org to direct assistance to congregations serving displaced populations in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
3. Pressure your government to increase humanitarian funding for Congo crisis. Write via parliament.uk/get-involved or congress.gov demanding emergency appropriations for food aid as 26.6 million Congolese face severe hunger over the next six months.
4. Fund medical care for sexual violence survivors and conflict victims through organizations like Samaritan's Purse at samaritanspurse.org or +1 (800) 528-1980. Support medical teams treating victims of massacres, kidnappings, and widespread human rights abuses.
5. Pray for peace in Congo as framework agreement fails to stop violence between DRC forces and Rwanda backed M23 rebels. Pray for 5.2 million displaced people, protection of civilians and aid workers, and end to decades of conflict.

Support refugee relief through UNHCR at unhcr.org or International Rescue Committee at rescue.org. Fund emergency shelter, clean water, and supplies for 1.6 million newly displaced Congolese fleeing to overcrowded camps with inadequate resources.