The UN World Food Programme warned on Friday it may have to pause food aid to help millions of malnourished people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by February due to a major funding crisis.

"We're at historically low levels of funding. We've probably received about $150-million this year," said Cynthia Jones, country director of the WFP for the DRC, pointing to a need for $350-million to help people in desperate need in the West African country.

More than 3.2-million people are facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity in the eastern DRC, characterised by large food gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition, according to a report by a global food monitor released on Tuesday.

The area has been rocked by more than a year of fighting. The Rwandan-backed M23 rebels staged a lightning offensive this year in South Kivu province that allowed them to seize more territory than ever before.

Rwanda has denied supporting the rebels. Both M23 and Congolese forces have been accused of carrying out atrocities.

Previously the WFP was reaching about 1-million people per month with food assistance, but has now had to reduce that number to 600 000 people per month amid dwindling funding.

"If we were to continue reaching 600 000 people per month, we would break completely by February, March. That's the reality. That's how dire the situation is," Jones said.

In recent years the WFP had received up to $600-million in funding. In 2024 it received about $380-million.

UN agencies, including the WFP, have been hit by major cuts in US foreign aid as well as other major European donors reducing overseas aid budgets to increase defence spending.