Pope makes personal humanitarian donation to Congo

Pope Francis has made a donation to fund humanitarian relief efforts in the conflict-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo, the Vatican said on Friday.

“Francis has decided to send a concrete contribution,’’ a statement said, withholding information on the sum that was offered, which came from the pope’s personal charity fund.


“Aid would be sent to the most affected dioceses in central Great Kasai region, where more than 3,400 people are estimated to have died,’’ the Vatican said.

Earlier this month, the International Committee of the Red Cross said at least seven million people needed emergency assistance due to violence and repeated armed clashes in Congo.

Violence is prevalent where various rebel groups operate as well as in Kasai; they are present in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, and the central Tanganyika.

The ICRC said that nearly one million people were internally displaced in the central African nation in 2016, the highest such figure recorded for that year and more than was seen in Syria or Iraq.