A United Nations team has visited Kimoka in North Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, to assess the conditions of people returning to communities affected by prolonged conflict.
The area is under the control of M23 rebels, while the region is also grappling with a severe Ebola outbreak that has further strained humanitarian conditions.
During the visit on Friday, Damien Mama, coordinator of UN humanitarian activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, met women working in fields, inspected their crops and discussed the assistance they need to rebuild their livelihoods.
Mama said the women identified livestock and access to farmland as key priorities for strengthening their resilience and improving their economic conditions.
UN humanitarian agencies said that by February 4, 2025, about 30,384 people, representing 5,064 households, had returned to Kimoka and Saké, areas near Goma, the main city in North Kivu.
The United Nations said more than 1,400 people, most of them women who had returned from internally displaced persons’ camps, were benefiting from agricultural support and socioeconomic reintegration programmes across villages in Masisi territory.
Among the beneficiaries is Sifa Asifiwe, who received support from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Recalling the assistance she received, Asifiwe said, “Amid that hardship, our brothers from the FAO came and welcomed us.”
Residents said living conditions, particularly for children, had improved as families gained access to better nutrition from crops produced through the agricultural support programmes.
Despite the return of some displaced families, the humanitarian situation remains critical. The UN estimates that about 95,000 displaced people are still living around Goma due to violence by armed groups.
The region is also facing a serious public health challenge. Figures released this week by Congolese authorities showed 7,022 Ebola cases and 3,398 deaths, underscoring the scale of the health emergency confronting communities already affected by conflict and displacement.
The UN visit highlighted the need for continued humanitarian, agricultural and health support as displaced families return to conflict-affected areas of eastern DR Congo.
