A key border crossing between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi reopened on Monday, more than two months after it was closed during an offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo, officials said. The Kavimvira post, located on Lake Tanganyika, is a vital trade artery on the main route linking Bujumbura to Uvira. It was shut in December as M23 fighters advanced toward Uvira, prompting tens of thousands of civilians to flee into Burundi. Analysts say the rebel push sought to disrupt Burundi’s military backing for Congolese government forces. The crossing reopened after M23 withdrew from Uvira in January, a move the group said followed a request from the United States amid mediation efforts between Kinshasa and Kigali.
With the Congolese army reasserting control, Jean-Jacques Purusi, governor of South Kivu, confirmed the reopening at 8:00 a.m. local time. Border officials reported early signs of return, with displaced Congolese beginning to cross back home. Other crossings in areas still affected by M23 activity remain closed. Eastern DR Congo’s mineral-rich regions have endured decades of instability, and M23’s renewed insurgency since 2021 has reignited a broader regional crisis involving neighboring states.
