A year after the AFC-M23 rebels captured Goma, the scars of the conflict remain raw. While the fighting has partially ceased in the city center, the city is suffering from unprecedented economic paralysis: the international airport and banking institutions remain desperately closed.

The ordeal of war wounded

For Eddy Rachidi, the fighting last January is not just a political memory, but a daily physical pain. Seriously wounded by a bullet in the thigh during the offensive, this car washer now struggles to make ends meet.

“Previously, the ICRC covered my expenses. Now, I am asked to take care of myself, even though I barely earn enough to eat,” he confides.

His leg, still fragile, symbolizes this population abandoned to its fate once the humanitarian emergency has passed.

A silent airport, a stalled economy

In the Birere commercial district, the silence is unusual. Goma's international airport, the region's economic engine, has never reopened its runways. For Jeannette Mihigo, a local shopkeeper, this calm is a double-edged sword. While she appreciates the decrease in direct insecurity, her sales have plummeted.

1. Before: Smooth sales driven by the flow of travelers.
2. Today: Daily earnings capped at 10,000 Congolese francs (a few dollars), making his family's survival uncertain.

Banking crisis and the call for dialogue

The financial sector is the other major absentee during this period of forced transition. The closure of banks is forcing residents to hoard their savings at home, thus exposing them to new risks of theft.

Faced with this "economic famine," voices are rising to demand a political solution. Justin Sanzabera, a citizen of Goma, is directly appealing to the central government: he is calling on President Félix Tshisekedi to engage in "sincere discussions" with the rebellion to unblock the region.

A rebellion is taking hold

While diplomats are busy, the reality on the ground is evolving. The AFC-M23 is no longer content to maintain its positions; the movement is consolidating its administration and continuing its advance southward, targeting new strategic mining areas.