Uvira Residents Relieved as Border Crossing Reopens
Last update: February 26, 2026
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Border reopening brings relief to those who had fled Uvira amid AFC-M23 clashes...
The border crossing between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi reopened on Monday February 23, 2026, after a closure of more than two months.
Kavimvira crossing, a vital trade route between Uvira and Bujumbura, resumed operations as Congolese authorities reasserted control over the area.
Footage showed people with their personal belongings as they arrived at the Kavimvira–Gatumba border.
An advance by the M23 group in South Kivu province had led to a significant influx of Congolese refugees into Burundi. Many of the refugees returned to their hometowns after the crossing reopened.
On Sunday February 22, 2026, the governor of South Kivu province announced the reopening, which signalled a tentative stabilisation of cross-border flows in the east and restoration of security and local commerce after recent unrest.
The DRC accused Rwanda of backing the M23, a rebel group, but Kigali has repeatedly denied this.
