Unprecedented Humanitarian Situation

Following the worst flooding recorded since 1961 due to the rising waters of the Congo River, the Government of the Republic of the Congo declared a state of humanitarian emergency on 29 December 2023. Nine out of twelve departments were affected, with Likouala, Cuvette, Plateaux, Pool, Pointe-Noire, and Brazzaville among the hardest hit.

“Flooding is recurrent in Congo, but the level of destruction this year is catastrophic,” said Mr. Chris Mburu, United Nations Resident Coordinator, during a press briefing on 23 January 2024 in Brazzaville. “With climate change, we must expect even worse in the future,” he warned.

In response, Mr. Mburu confirmed that the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated US$3.6 million (CFA 2.6 billion) to support urgent needs for 270,000 people affected by the floods. As Chair of the Development Partners Forum (FPAD), Mr. Mburu called on forum members to show solidarity with the Government and affected communities.

More than 1.79 million people have been impacted, with widespread damage to basic infrastructure—including schools, health centers, and public facilities—and to people’s livelihoods. Over 525,400 individuals require humanitarian assistance, 66 percent of whom are in Likouala. Around 5,000 hectares of cultivated land have been flooded.

In January 2024, the Government, with support from UN agencies, conducted a rapid needs assessment and developed a three-month response plan, identifying six priority sectors for immediate humanitarian action.