Congo

Republic of Congo is currently experiencing a complex crisis characterised by vulnerability to disease outbreaks (such as Ebola and COVID-19), seasonal floods, and internal displacement as a result of past conflict in Pool department. Republic of Congo also hosts a high number of refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring countries. Following a ceasefire in late 2017 that ended armed conflict in Pool department, the security situation in the country has improved and people displaced by the conflict have begun to return home.

Around 77,000 IDPs and returnees in Pool department are still in need of humanitarian assistance however, as access to basic services remains limited. There are 247,000 refugees and asylum seekers from CAR, DRC, and Rwanda in the country. Likouala department hosts 27,000 refugees from CAR and 21,000 refugees from DRC. Following an outbreak of violence related to the 27 December elections in CAR, an additional 5,000 CAR refugees arrived in Likouala province, mostly in Kpakaya department, between mid-December and 22 February. A need for more mobile health clinics has been reported, as well as the potential development of tensions between new arrivals and the local community stemming from competition over food and water sources.

Likoula is situated along the Ubangi river corridor bordering Équateur province in DRC – which experienced an Ebola outbreak between June–November 2020 – and its population are therefore vulnerable to the spread of the disease. Access to WASH services in the department is limited. The river corridor is also vulnerable to the effects of
seasonal floods. 

As at 27 December 2020, 180,000 people had been affected by the current seasonal floods in Likouala, Sangha, Cuvette, and Plateaux departments.

INFORM measures Republic of Congo’s risk of humanitarian crisis and disaster to be high, at 5.2/10. ?