More must be done to overcome obstacles in providing aid - UN official

"Among humanitarian partners we need to revisit our analysis of security, and seek ways that allow us to stay, rather than to leave," Catherine Bragg, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, told a news conference at UN Headquarters.

"When we do that, when we have more access, we can gain better understanding and more information on humanitarian needs and then provide the life-saving assistance," she said.

Earlier this month, Ms. Bragg visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where violence, displacement, deep poverty and fear continue to affect millions of civilians in areas such as North Kivu, South Kivu or Orientale provinces.

An estimated 1.7 million people are internally displaced in the DRC as a result of conflict, most of them with great needs. Even in areas not affected by conflict, humanitarian indicators are alarming and call for assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA ).

"The Democratic Republic of Congo is a vast country and part of the problem for both people on the ground who need aid and for the humanitarians trying to get to them is that it is simply very difficult to move from one place to another," she stated.

The places where people need help the most are increasingly in very remote areas, including in the Kivus, in Province Orientale, and in Province Equateur, she noted.

"I am particularly concerned that thousands of people live in fear of attack by armed groups, who kill maim, rape, kidnap, loot and burn down houses," she said. "Those who flee are in the most remote areas, often living in isolated communities. This remoteness makes them even more vulnerable as bringing aid is a logistical challenge."

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