European Union humanitarian support for the victims of the floods in Uvira in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Uvira, a city in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Following heavy rains and floods in Uvira, a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the European Commission has allocated EUR 180,000 (more than CFAF 350 million) in humanitarian funding to help households more victims.

This EU funding will enable the DRC Red Cross to provide emergency aid to thousands of displaced families, whose homes have been badly damaged by the extremely heavy rain, which devastated the city in the month of April.

These funds are an EU contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross Societies and of the Red Crescent (FICR).

In mid-April, the city of Uvira experienced heavy rain, which caused flooding in the city and its surrounding areas. More than 40 people lost their lives, while 185 people were injured and more than 100 children were separated from their families. Some 70,000 people have had to leave their homes and find refuge in public spaces, including churches and schools.

The European Union, with its member states, is the world's largest donor of humanitarian aid. Emergency aid is an expression of European solidarity with people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering and preserve the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and crises of human origin.

Damages of heavy rains and floods in Uvira

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Department (DG ECHO), the European Union provides assistance to millions of victims of conflicts and disasters each year. Its headquarters in Brussels and its global network of local offices support the most vulnerable, on the sole basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Commission has signed a humanitarian contract worth three million euros with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (FICR), in support of the Emergency Relief Fund of disasters (DREF) of the Federation. DREF funds are mainly allocated to "small-scale" disasters, that is, disasters that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Emergency Fund for Disaster Relief (DREF) was created in 1985 and is funded by contributions from donors. Whenever a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF.

For small-scale disasters, the FICR allocates grants from DREF, which donors can then replenish. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and DG ECHO allows the latter to restock the DREF for agreed operations (corresponding to its humanitarian mandate) up to 3 million euros.

The European Union with its member states reaffirms its position as the leading partner on the African continent by mobilizing all of its energies and those of its member states to support the states of the continent in responding to health challenges, supporting their economies, equipping staff caregivers and strengthen societal resilience mechanisms.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor