The airport, located in Goma city, North Kivu province, has been non-operational since late January 2025 when M23 rebels seized control. The group also controls Bukavu Airport and the cities of Goma and Bukavu in North and South Kivu provinces, respectively.
Speaking at the Great Lakes Conference in Paris on Thursday, Macron announced plans to reopen Goma Airport for daytime humanitarian flights, alongside the establishment of humanitarian corridors, emphasising respect for the sovereignty of the DRC.
“We have agreed to work, in the coming weeks, towards reopening Goma Airport for small daytime humanitarian flights. These accesses are essential and will respect the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo, so that flights can resume without delay,” Macron said.
However, M23’s political spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, issued a statement early Friday rejecting the initiative, describing it as “untimely and disconnected from reality.” He stressed that any such actions should be carried out within the framework of ongoing negotiations in Doha, mediated by Qatar and supported by the United States and the African Union.
Kanyuka accused the Kinshasa government of violating ceasefire commitments and pursuing military solutions to political conflicts, which he said prolong civilian suffering. He cited repeated drone attacks against civilian targets, including the destruction of humanitarian aircraft in Walikale and Minembwe, as evidence.
He also claimed that, with displaced persons having returned to their homes, there is no longer a humanitarian emergency in the liberated regions. Kanyuka cautioned France against being influenced by humanitarian organisations, which he said have profited from the displacement crisis and contributed to the survival of armed groups, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
“France should act with caution in its decisions and positions, so as not to inadvertently revive memories of its difficult and tragic past in the Great Lakes region. The M23 remains committed to protecting civilian populations,” Kanyuka stated.
Neither the DRC government nor the French authorities have responded to M23’s statement. But the rejection of Macron’s initiative raises questions about whether the ongoing conflict between the DRC government and M23 rebels is approaching a resolution.
Since the M23 insurgency resumed in 2022 under leaders Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga, the Congolese government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the group, allegations denied by both Rwanda and M23. The rebels maintain that their struggle targets corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination within the Congolese leadership.
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