The EU has announced €81.2 million in humanitarian aid for the Great Lakes region as fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo drives large-scale displacement.
Most of the funding — €68 million — will go to humanitarian assistance inside the DRC, where conflict and displacement are creating the most urgent needs, the European Commission announced on Tuesday.
The money is earmarked for food assistance, emergency health and nutrition care, access to water and sanitation, basic shelter for displaced families, and protection services including care for survivors of violence and child protection.
A further €13.2 million will support the regional refugee response and disaster preparedness across the Great Lakes region, including support for partners responding to new displacement and emergencies linked to the crisis.
The Commission said the funding will also support aid projects in Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as Congolese refugees who have fled the DRC.
EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib is visiting the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda to assess humanitarian needs and to advocate for humanitarian access with parties to the conflict in eastern DRC.
She is expected to meet government representatives, humanitarian partners and visit EU-funded aid projects during the trip.
Scale of humanitarian needs
More than 21 million people in the DRC require humanitarian assistance amid persistent armed conflict, mass displacement, disease outbreaks and poverty, the Commission statement said.
Nearly 28 million people face food insecurity, while repeated displacement in eastern provinces has forced families into overcrowded shelters and temporary camps.
Burundi is also facing a fragile humanitarian situation, with refugees displaced across neighbouring countries and others displaced inside the country by floods and landslides.
Tens of thousands of Congolese refugees have arrived in Burundi since late 2025, putting pressure on camps, health services and water systems.
The EU allocated €129.5 million in humanitarian funding to the region in 2025, most of it for the response in the DRC.
