Democratic Republic of the Congo - IOM this week launched three new projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)’s North Kivu province to help internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees.

 The projects are financed by the European Commission Humanitarian Department (ECHO), the US State Department’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). 

 “Assistance to Conflict-affected Population in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)” is a one-year, EUR 1 million ECHO-funded project that aims to strengthen IOM’s emergency activities in North Kivu through information management and coordination of displacement sites. It will also help to find durable solutions for IDPs.

 “Rapid Assistance Program for Internally Displaced Persons in Eastern DRC (RAPID)” is a USD 3 million one-year, OFDA-funded project. It will provide humanitarian coordination, information management and management of displacement sites through July 1st, 2016.

 “Assistance in Protection and Food Security for IDPs and Returnees in North Kivu” is a one-year, CHF 568,000 SDC-funded project that will help IOM to carry out emergency and stabilization activities, including protection and improved food security for IDPs and returnees in Masisi, North Kivu.

 “IOM DRC is committed to providing assistance to vulnerable migrants in the DRC, including IDPs and returnees.  This new funding will allow us to expand our activities in sectors including biometric registration, direct assistance, durable solutions, protection and improved food security,” said IOM Goma Head of Office Monique Van Hoof.

 There are currently 57 displacement sites hosting 192,000 IDPs in North Kivu. Of these, 27 are under the supervision of IOM.

 For more information, please contact Monique Van Hoof at IOM Goma. Email: mvanhoof@iom.int, Tel. +243 82 24 87 445.