DR Congo: UN call to reopen Goma airport ‘lifeline’, as crisis deepens
UN News 4 February 2025
Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo – The United Nations is calling for the immediate reopening of Goma airport, a lifeline for humanitarian aid to war-torn eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
The airport has been closed since January 25, after a volcanic eruption destroyed the runway. This has severely hampered the delivery of food, medicine, and other essential supplies to the region, where millions of people are in urgent need of assistance.
“The closure of Goma airport is a major setback for humanitarian operations in eastern DRC,” said David Gressly, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the country. “We are urging the authorities to do everything in their power to reopen the airport as soon as possible.”
The humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC is one of the worst in the world. Millions of people have been displaced from their homes due to conflict, and many are living in dire conditions. The closure of Goma airport is only exacerbating this crisis.
“We are running out of time,” said Mr. Gressly. “People are dying every day from preventable diseases and malnutrition. We need to be able to get aid to them now.”
The UN is working with the DRC authorities to find a solution to the airport closure. In the meantime, humanitarian agencies are exploring alternative routes to deliver aid to eastern DRC, but these are more expensive and time-consuming.
The UN is also calling for international support to help the people of eastern DRC. The humanitarian response plan for the country is currently only 25% funded.
“We need the international community to step up and help us,” said Mr. Gressly. “The people of eastern DRC cannot wait any longer.”
DR Congo: UN call to reopen Goma airport ‘lifeline’, as crisis deepens
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