Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ordered the reopening of the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), six months after it was closed due to intense fighting between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army (FARDC).
The border—particularly active at the Bunagana and Ishasha crossing points in North Kivu province—has now seen a renewed movement of people and goods. It had been closed since the M23 announced its capture of the city of Goma, a major escalation in the conflict.
This development was confirmed by Chris Magezi, head of communications for the Ugandan military, who posted on X (formerly Twitter) that President Museveni gave the directive to reopen the border following mutual understanding between both countries through diplomatic dialogue.
The reopening comes just days after a peace agreement was signed in New York between Rwanda and the DRC. Rwanda was represented by its Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, while the DRC was represented by Madame Thérèse Wargner Kayikwamba.
This agreement, developed with support from key international stakeholders—including the United Nations, the African Union, the Luanda Process, the Emir of Qatar, and the United States—focused on critical commitments. These include: respecting each country’s territorial integrity, ceasing all forms of support to armed groups, disarmament and elimination of all militias, protection of civilians, removal of military build-ups near Kigali, and the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
One of the most significant provisions is the creation of a joint security monitoring body composed of military and security officials from both sides. This body will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the agreement’s terms and ensuring long-term peace and trust in the region.
The M23 group, which claims to represent Congolese citizens whose rights have been marginalized by Kinshasa governments over the past 30 years, resumed armed conflict in 2021. Its military activity intensified in early 2025, during which it temporarily took control of cities like Bukavu, Goma, and Walikale—although it later retreated from some of these areas.
Sources: African News & Sudan Tribune
