“Goma airport is a lifeline,” said Bruno Lemarquis. “Without it, the evacuation of the seriously injured, the delivery of medical supplies and the reception of humanitarian reinforcements are paralyzed.”
Growing casualties
The M23 armed group, supported by Rwandan troops, seized the airport last week as its fighters swept through Goma – the regional capital of North Kivu. Several hundred people have reportedly been killed in the hostilities, with tens of thousands more forced to flee their homes.
Rebels have seized control of large areas of Goma, setting up checkpoints and severely restricting humanitarian access, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). This has disrupted the delivery of food, water, and medical aid for up to two million people.
Humanitarian workers also face restricted access to displacement camps, limiting the provision of essential services, including emergency obstetric care.
An absolute emergency
Mr. Lemarquis urged all parties to “shoulder their responsibilities” and facilitate the immediate reopening of the airport.
“Every hour lost puts more lives at risk. This is an absolute emergency. All those involved must act without delay to enable humanitarian flights to resume operations and guarantee access to relief supplies,” he stressed.
“The survival of thousands of people depends on it.”
Sexual violence ‘tragically routine’
Meanwhile, UN Women, the Organization’s lead agency for protection of women and girls, warned that reports of sexual violence and exploitation have become “tragically routine.”
“As the clashes unfold in a country that has endured prolonged instability, women and girls are bearing the brunt of both direct and indirect consequences, with their rights, safety, and dignity increasingly under threat,” said the agency’s Sofia Calltorp, Chief of Humanitarian Action, briefing journalists in Geneva.
Local women’s organizations have reported widespread sexual violence, forced displacement, and severe gaps in basic social as well as protection services.
With the situation worsening, UN Women called for immediate action by State and non-state actors in DRC as well as the wider international community to combat sexual and gender-based violence and end impunity for perpetrators.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
