By KT Reporter
The March 23 Movement/Congo River Alliance (M23/AFC) rebels have said the announced decision by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo that Goma International Airport will reopen by the end of 2025 is illusionary.
Over the weekend, President Tshisekedi said that the airport will open by the end of 2025. He also mobilized all relevant government officials to ensure the timeline is met. Patrick Katembwe Muyaya, Minister of Communication and Media and Spokesperson of the Government has also repeated the same announcement on behalf of the president.
According to Muyaya, the purpose of the planned reopening of the airport is to restore humanitarian access to isolated communities, speed up delivery of food, medicine, and emergency relief and rebuild state presence and coordination in a region devastated by conflict.
Muyaya says the Prime Minister’s Office has been instructed to coordinate operations and provide regular updates; the Minister of Planning & Development Aid to manage funding and direct it to priority needs; Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration Ministers to finalize diplomatic protocols with international partners who have committed to supporting them in Paris; social Affairs Ministry to develop an emergency response plan with humanitarian agencies for displaced populations; Interior, Defense & Transport Ministers to jointly implement a security protocol for humanitarian flights, staff mobility, and infrastructure protection in line with International Committee of the Red Cross guidelines.
However in a statement released today but dated November 16, 2025, M23/AFC rebels’ political spokesperson says the decision by Tshisekedi is entirely unacceptable. Spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka says the Kinshasa regime has neither the legitimacy nor the right to consider reopening airport infrastructure located in areas under M23/AFC area of control.
Kanyuka says the airport can and will be reopened solely by the M23/AFC but not Tshisekedi or any other party. Kanyuka also says the M23/AFC is closely monitoring troop and equipment deployments across all the fronts as well as logistical support to mercenaries and the operations of the Kinshasa regime.
Despite the signing of a framework agreement in Qatar’s capital Doha on November 15,2025 aimed at organizing the continuation of negotiations with a view to reaching a comprehensive peace agreement, the situation on ground has remained volatile, a development that raises fear that the Doha peace deal may not yield positive results.
Fierce fighting on Sunday (yesterday) saw M23 rebels advancing and setting foot in Maimingi, Shabunda territory, South Kivu province. The Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and coalition retreated towards Kimbili.
M23 rebels control most of areas in North and South Kivu provinces, including Goma, Bukavu cities, Goma international airport and Kavumu airport. Since the resumption of the M23 insurgency in 2022, led by Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga, the DRC government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23, a claim that both Rwanda and M23 deny.
The rebels assert that their fight is against corruption, xenophobia and discrimination within the DR Congo’s leadership.
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