French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday, October 30, 2025, the mobilization of over €1.5 billion in international aid for the populations of the Great Lakes region, with a particular focus on eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This announcement was made at an international conference held in Paris dedicated to the humanitarian and security situation in the region.

This funding aims to support civilians affected by violence and mass displacement, in a context marked by a persistent humanitarian crisis. The funds will be used to strengthen food, medical, and logistical assistance, as well as to support programs protecting vulnerable populations.

Among the measures announced, France also plans to establish secure humanitarian corridors to facilitate the delivery of aid to the most affected areas. The French president also indicated that Goma airport could reopen soon to allow humanitarian flights, thus facilitating the transport of relief and assistance teams.

The international community is called upon to do more to meet the growing needs on the ground. Discussions also focused on coordinating efforts, securing humanitarian zones, and the need for transparent monitoring of the use of allocated funds.

This initiative comes as several international organizations continue to warn of the critical humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, where armed conflicts have already caused hundreds of thousands of displaced people and urgent needs for humanitarian aid.

The operational details of the implementation of this aid, including the allocation of funds, the intervention schedule and the partners involved, should be specified in the coming weeks.