The M23 administration in North Kivu has announced the reopening of the Grande Barrière border post in Goma, effective Friday, September 19, 2025, with operations running daily from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.
The decision was confirmed in an official communiqué signed by Bahati Musanga Erasto, the M23-aligned governor of North Kivu, who directed all relevant officials to comply with the new schedule.
The reopening marks the most significant adjustment to cross-border movement since restrictions were imposed earlier this year amid heavy fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese government forces.
The Grande Barrière, which connects Goma to Rwanda’s Gisenyi town, has long been a vital artery for trade, humanitarian aid, and civilian mobility.
Its partial closure disrupted commerce, worsened shortages of essential goods, and placed additional pressure on smaller border points.
The announcement comes just days after the M23 showcased its growing military strength.
On September 15, the group passed out 7,437 new commandos in Rutshuru, declaring them part of the Congolese Revolutionary Army—the parallel force it claims as the legitimate national army.
The move underscored M23’s ambition not only to entrench itself militarily but also to consolidate civilian administration in territories under its control.
Since seizing swathes of North Kivu, including the provincial capital Goma’s outskirts, the M23 has set up a governing structure that issues official communiqués, levies taxes, and manages local services such as health, education, and border administration.
The reopening of the Grande Barrière appears aimed at projecting normalcy while also asserting the group’s authority over the province’s economic lifeline.
Regional observers note that Rwanda’s proximity and alleged backing of M23 make the status of the border a sensitive political issue.
Congolese government officials in Kinshasa have repeatedly accused Kigali of aiding the rebels, a charge Rwanda denies.
Meanwhile, traders and residents in Goma have expressed relief at the easing of restrictions, even as uncertainty persists about the long-term stability of the area.
With the M23 consolidating its civilian and military structures in North Kivu, the reopening of the Grande Barrière signals both a practical measure for cross-border activity and a symbolic assertion of the rebels’ grip on power in eastern Congo.