Japan has provided an emergency aid package of $3 million to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help contain the ongoing Ebola virus disease outbreak affecting the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in the eastern part of the country.
The funding will be split among three international humanitarian organisations: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies receives $1.5 million, the World Food Programme gets $1 million, and UNICEF is allocated $500,000. These resources will support interventions in health, clean water access, sanitation, and hygiene – critical areas to curb the spread of the virus.
Japanese authorities say the contribution aims to limit Ebola transmission not only inside the DRC but also in neighbouring countries at risk of cross-border contamination. Tokyo’s decision reflects its commitment to the principle of human security, which guided its positive response to requests from international agencies operating in the country.
Amid a series of international financial pledges following the resurgence of Ebola, DRC’s Minister of Public Health, Samuel Roger Kamba, has urged partners to strengthen coordination and transparency in managing funds allocated for health interventions, especially those tackling the outbreak in the east. During a joint briefing on 18 June 2026 in Bunia, Ituri province, alongside Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya, Kamba stressed the need for a common approach between the government and technical and financial partners. He noted that a large portion of these funds is managed directly by humanitarian organisations without passing through the state, causing public confusion over who controls the resources.
The World Health Organization declared the Ebola epidemic caused by the Bundibugyo virus – which has spread from the DRC into Uganda – a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 May 2026, two days after the official outbreak declaration. The WHO warns that the epidemic has expanded geographically and that its true scale may be underestimated, aggravated by high population mobility, weak health systems, poor infrastructure, and access difficulties in conflict-affected areas. To date, no licensed vaccine or specific treatment exists for the Bundibugyo virus. Despite these challenges, Congolese authorities remain confident, drawing on experience gained from controlling the country’s 16 previous Ebola outbreaks.
