UN reports over 3 Million displaced return home in DRC
As of July 2025, more than 3 million displaced individuals have returned to their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to recent figures released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as reported by Africa News on August 11th.
Significantly, in the province of North Kivu alone, over 2 million people have been able to resettle in their villages, while South Kivu has seen over 600,000 returnees.
OCHA’s data also highlights a decline in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the country, from 6.9 million in 2024 down to 5.9 million this year.
Despite these encouraging figures, the humanitarian situation in the DRC remains unstable, with many returnees confronting harsh living conditions upon their arrival.
In North Kivu, numerous displaced families had no choice but to return home after displacement camps in Goma and Nyiragongo were shut down earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the country continues to face outbreaks of cholera, measles, and mpox. Additionally, food insecurity affects over 27 million people nationwide, with 4.5 million children suffering from severe malnutrition, based on data from OCHA.
The Congolese government and the Rwanda-supported M23 rebel group reached a ceasefire agreement in mid-July. However, this fragile peace has been undermined by recent assaults on civilians. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that at least 319 civilians were killed between July 9th and 21st in four villages within Rutshuru territory, allegedly by the M23 rebels.
Formed in 2012, M23 is a Congolese armed faction active mainly in North Kivu and South Kivu, near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda. It leads the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups operating in eastern DRC. The escalating violence has intensified what the UN calls “one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises.”
Internationally, efforts to broker peace are underway. Reports indicate that US President Donald Trump is preparing a controversial but ambitious peace proposal aimed at resolving the enduring conflict in eastern Congo. However, the complexity of regional dynamics and ongoing rebel violence poses significant challenges to long-lasting stability.
Africa News, Maghrebi.org
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