French President Emmanuel Macron announced on October 30 an international aid package exceeding 1.5 billion euros for Africa's Great Lakes region during a conference in Paris. The funding aims to support vulnerable populations amid the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He also mentioned the upcoming reopening of Goma airport for humanitarian flights.
At the closing of an international conference co-organized by France and Togo in Paris, Emmanuel Macron hailed the collective mobilization of over 1.5 billion euros in humanitarian assistance for the Great Lakes region. “Today, together, we have taken a step forward and I am proud to announce that you have collectively mobilized more than 1.5 billion euros in assistance for the most vulnerable populations,” the French president stated. The aid includes provisions for medicines and food, with around 60 countries and organizations participating.
Macron emphasized the urgency in the DRC, describing the figures as “unbearable”: millions displaced, nearly 28 million facing food insecurity, one woman raped every four minutes, and one child every thirty. “We cannot remain silent spectators of the tragedy unfolding in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” he stressed. “These are not statistics. They are the tears of a wounded humanity, cries that no one can ignore.”
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé called for a sustainable approach, warning that “we cannot indefinitely address the long term with short-term tools.” He advocated for greater African involvement, full transparency on aid—often diverted in war contexts—and strengthened African oversight. “Aid must relieve without fostering dependence,” he insisted, condemning informal mining and illicit trade that fuel armed groups.
Eastern DRC, bordering Rwanda and rich in natural resources, has been mired in conflict for thirty years. Violence escalated in January with the M23 group's capture of Goma and Bukavu, backed by Kigali, leading to thousands of deaths and millions displaced. Macron announced the reopening of Goma airport “in the coming weeks” and the establishment of secure humanitarian corridors.