The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) predicts that the armed conflict between Congolese forces and the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group will continue until 2025.

OCHA's forecast indicates that the provinces of North and South Kivu will continue to be affected by the war, and that access to humanitarian assistance will be restricted.

"While conflict remains the main driver of the humanitarian crisis, the country also faces severe food insecurity. The DRC has 25.5 million suffering from severe food insecurity - the highest number of people in the world. One in two children under the age of five is affected by chronic malnutrition, highlighting the urgent need for sustained food assistance and nutritional support," he notes.

In response to the worsening humanitarian situation in the east, the Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated 17 million dollars for immediate interventions to save lives.

"Without additional resources, response efforts are severely hampered, and operational capacity is significantly reduced," he writes.