The main border crossings between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda reopened on Friday after six weeks of Ebola-related restrictions, restoring one of Central Africa’s busiest trade corridors and allowing thousands of traders and commuters to resume cross-border travel.
Footage shows traders, travellers and cross-border workers queuing on both sides of the Goma-Gisenyi border to pass through the Grande Barriere and Petite Barriere border posts between Goma and Gisenyi, as commercial activity gradually returns following the lifting of health measures.
The closure had severely disrupted trade and daily life, cutting off a vital source of income for thousands of families who rely on the movement of goods and people between the neighbouring cities.
Residents in Goma said the restrictions had left many unable to earn a living, with some describing the six-week closure as a period of severe financial hardship.
“This opening today is a welcome relief for travellers, and others who are struggling to make a living,” said Congolese traveller Jean-Marie Vianey.
On the Rwandan side, traders also welcomed the reopening, saying the suspension of cross-border movement had brought business to a standstill and left many without work.
“We weren’t working; we no longer had access to money,” Rwandan trader Mboneyimana Jean Claude said. “Today the border is open, and we see our Congolese brothers.”
Another trader, Bilima Cyprien, said workers on both sides of the border had been heavily affected, adding that “life has been turned upside down” during the closure.
Rwanda imposed the restrictions after the latest Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo, including barring entry to foreign travellers who had been in the country during the previous 30 days as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
Source: Viory
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