Humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo. Norwegian assistance

"The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the forgotten crises of our time," said State Secretary Vidar Helgesen. "In spite of some hopeful signs in the peace process and the establishment of a transitional government in the capital, Kinshasa, the humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country is precarious. The Foreign Ministry has therefore allocated a total of NOK 14 million towards new emergency relief measures. This will bring the total Norwegian humanitarian assistance to the countries of the Great Lakes region up to NOK 130 million for 2003, of which NOK 40 million has gone to DR Congo," said Mr Helgesen.

An estimated three million people have lost their lives as a direct or indirect consequence of the fighting since 1998, when the unrest flared up. The conflict has already made 3.5 million Congolese homeless, and there are regular reports of murder, ill-treatment and rape of civilians. Women and children are especially vulnerable, and child soldiers are being used on a large scale.

Norwegian assistance is being channelled through the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Norwegian Red Cross and Norwegian Church Aid. The measures being supported include schooling for children, support for women rape victims, demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers, and help with tracing family members. Norway has also supported the training of a Congolese police force in Kinshasa under the auspices of the UN peacekeeping force, MONUC.

In addition to humanitarian assistance, Norway is allocating about NOK 70 million to more long-term assistance (transitional aid) in the region for 2003.