The United States announced on Wednesday a substantial aid package of $424 million to address the dire humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The country has been grappling with a protracted crisis exacerbated by armed violence in the eastern region.
Decades of conflict, most recently intensified by the resurgence of the M23 rebel group in late 2021, have driven millions from their homes.
North Kivu province has been particularly hard hit, with the M23 seizing vast swathes of territory and nearly encircling the provincial capital, Goma.
The UN estimates that 7.3 million people are internally displaced within the DRC.
Of the total aid package, $414 million will be dedicated to humanitarian assistance to support those affected by the conflict and displacement.
US Ambassador to the DRC Lucy Tamlyn and US Representative to the UN food and agriculture agencies Jeffrey Prescott made the announcement during a visit to the country.
In addition to the humanitarian aid, the US is providing $10 million to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak in the DRC and neighboring countries.
The US Agency for International Development is also donating 50,000 mpox vaccines to the DRC, which has been the epicenter of the epidemic.
As of August 3, the African Union’s health agency reported over 14,000 confirmed and suspected cases with nearly 455 deaths in the country.