Emmanuel Macron pronounces worldwide help of greater than 1.5 billion euros for the Great Lakes area in Africa | EUROtoday

French President Emmanuel Macron introduced on Thursday October 30 worldwide help of greater than 1.5 billion euros for the Great Lakes area, as a part of the United Nations humanitarian response plan.

“Today, together, we have taken a step forward and I am proud to announce that you have collectively mobilized more than 1.5 billion euros in assistance for the most vulnerable populations”he declared on the finish of a global convention in Paris, specifying that this includes offering medication and meals particularly. Around sixty nations and organizations have been represented at this convention. Mr. Macron additionally introduced the reopening of Goma airport, within the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for humanitarian flights. “in the coming weeks” in addition to safe humanitarian corridors for the supply of help.

The convention, co-organized by France and Togo, comes because the humanitarian disaster, one of the critical on this planet, continues to worsen within the DRC. “We cannot remain silent spectators of the tragedy unfolding in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo”underlined the French president, including that the figures have been “unsustainable” with thousands and thousands of individuals “uprooted”, “nearly 28 million people are food insecure, a woman raped every four minutes and a child every thirty”. “These numbers are not statistics. These are the tears of a wounded humanity, cries that no one can ignore.”he insisted.

“Help must provide relief without feeding dependence”

His Togolese counterpart, Faure Gnassingbé, noted that the emergency should not make us forget “another truth” : “We cannot respond indefinitely to the long term with short-term tools”he said, calling on Africa to participate in its own humanitarian effort, “not only out of moral duty, but because it is a question of dignity and efficiency”. He also urged full transparency on humanitarian aid, which in a context of war “has a tendency itself to become an issue of power”.

“Humanitarian routes are sometimes controlled, convoys taxed, resources diverted”he lamented. “Aid must relieve without feeding dependence, it must stabilize without freezing the balance of power. This is why, to protect the benefits of aid and those who provide it, we need strengthened African control”he pleaded. He further denounced informal mining, illicit resource trade and smuggling which “continue to fuel armed groups and impoverish the community”. “We must make every resource traceable”he insisted.

The east of the DRC, rich in natural resources and bordering Rwanda, has been plagued by conflicts for thirty years. Violence has intensified since January with the capture of the towns of Goma and Bukavu by the armed group M23, supported by Kigali. This violence has caused thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people, worsening an already severe food crisis.