ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the call for peace is also a call for food, medicine, safety and survival.
For families displaced by conflict, access to humanitarian assistance can determine whether a child receives treatment, whether a mother can find food for her family, or whether an injured person reaches a health facility in time. Yet continued insecurity has made it harder for aid workers to reach communities in need.
This humanitarian reality was at the heart of consultations between African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and members of the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The discussions focused on the crisis in eastern DRC and the urgent need to turn peace commitments into protection for civilians. The AU and its partners stressed that a durable ceasefire must be accompanied by unhindered humanitarian access, allowing relief teams to deliver food, shelter, healthcare and protection to vulnerable communities.
For people forced from their homes, conflict often means losing more than property. It means interrupted schooling for children, lost income for families, limited access to clean water and growing pressure on already overstretched health services.
The situation is becoming more difficult as an Ebola outbreak places further strain on communities and health systems already affected by violence and displacement. The AU Chairperson called for stronger regional cooperation, cross-border coordination and public health preparedness to contain the outbreak and protect lives.
The meeting also called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and honour commitments made through ongoing peace efforts, including the Washington Accord and Doha process.
While dialogue remains essential to ending the conflict, humanitarian needs cannot wait for negotiations to conclude. Families need safe roads, functioning clinics, food supplies and protection now.
The African Union has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting a peaceful and lasting solution in the Great Lakes region. But for millions of people living with the daily consequences of conflict, the measure of progress will be simple: whether help can reach them when they need it most.