Boat traffic resumed on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday as ports in two cities under M23 rebel control reopened.
The development, welcomed by the United Nations, is expected to improve humanitarian aid access following weeks of intense fighting and looting.
The M23, a Rwanda-backed rebel group, has taken over Goma and Bukavu and is attempting to assert governance, even as officials warn of a looming humanitarian crisis, including the threat of cholera outbreaks.
The World Food Programme reported the looting of approximately 7,000 metric tons of food supplies as the Congolese military withdrew from Bukavu over the weekend.
A passenger boat set sail from Bukavu to Goma for the first time since late January, signaling a tentative return to normalcy, according to operator Lweni Ndale.
Meanwhile, the reopening of boat routes is expected to facilitate aid deliveries to Idjwi Island, where over 100,000 people have sought refuge. However, Goma’s airport remains closed, posing a major challenge for large-scale humanitarian operations.
The fall of Bukavu has further weakened Kinshasa’s control and heightened fears of an expanding regional conflict. Congolese and allied Burundian troops withdrew from the city to prevent urban combat, ceding ground to the well-equipped M23, which has ties to previous Tutsi-led rebel movements in the region.
Tensions between Congo and Rwanda continue to escalate, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of supporting M23, a claim backed by the United Nations and Western governments. Rwanda denies the allegations, insisting its actions are defensive against a Hutu militia that it claims operates alongside the Congolese military. Congo, in turn, accuses Rwanda of using proxy militias to exploit its mineral resources.
