Denis Mukwege alerts UN to humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege has alerted the international community to the severe humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly high-level week in New York, Mukwege highlighted the disproportionate impact of the conflict on women and children.

During meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and humanitarian coordinator Tom Fletcher, Mukwege described the situation in the eastern DRC as a ‘war of aggression and occupation.’ He noted that millions of Congolese people are simultaneously facing armed violence, hunger, and the Ebola virus.

As a member of The Elders, Mukwege participated in discussions regarding the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. He called for increased international political mobilization to end what he termed ‘international negligence,’ urging for the consistent enforcement of international law, stronger protection for civilians, and a commitment to fighting impunity to achieve a just and lasting peace.