World · 2026-11-02 · Afternoon briefing

DR Congo: 1.25m refugees face aid cuts and hostile borders

The number of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached 1.25 million, as conflict escalates into a regional emergency. Fighting involving the M23 rebel group, which captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu in 2025, has driven over 245,000 people into neighbouring countries since the start of that year.

Humanitarian support in these host nations is collapsing due to severe funding shortfalls. Uganda, which hosts 53% of all Congolese refugees, has secured only 6% of the funding required for its 2026 refugee health response. In Burundi, the UN refugee agency has received just 20% of the $35 million needed for lifesaving assistance, forcing cuts to essential services for over a million people.

In response, neighbouring states are tightening their policies. Burundi's interior minister has barred entry to anyone transiting through M23-controlled territory, while Uganda has restricted cross-border movement. The UN maintains a non-return advisory for the volatile Kivu provinces, yet the M23 group encourages returns to areas it deems 'post-conflict', even as it dismantles displacement camps.

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• Congo-Kinshasa: Congolese Refugees Caught Between War and Closing Doors

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