One year has passed since the eastern Congolese city of Goma, a critical urban centre in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province, was overtaken by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group. The events of 27 January 2025 continue to shape both the physical landscape and social realities of this strategically located region, as the humanitarian cost of the ongoing conflict remains profound and unresolved.
On that morning, the sound of heavy gunfire shattered the routine of a city home to over two million residents. Government forces, overwhelmed after days of escalating clashes, retreated as M23 fighters entered the city. In the chaos that followed, daily life disintegrated into survival. Local accounts recall the streets strewn with casualties and entire communities sheltering indoors for days without food, water or access to aid.
Though no longer the epicentre of direct military combat, Goma today remains suspended in a tense limbo, where an uneasy calm coexists with deepening socio economic dislocation. The closure of banks and the airport, both vital lifelines in an already fragile economy, has brought commercial activity to a virtual standstill. Local traders like Adeline Muhanzi report an alarming rise in the cost of goods and a sharp decline in market demand. Financial liquidity is scarce and many civil servants, once dependent on formal payroll structures, have had to adapt to a cashless environment where barter and informal trade predominate.
Travel between Goma and the capital Kinshasa now involves circuitous journeys through neighbouring Rwanda or Uganda. For most residents, such routes are prohibitively expensive. This isolation has eroded already limited access to national institutions and services, further entrenching a sense of abandonment.
Sylvain Kasidika, a local resident, captures the mood: the structures that once enabled economic stability have collapsed. Organisations and agencies that previously ensured the circulation of cash are no longer operational. The airport remains closed and the banking system defunct. In response, individuals and families have dramatically reduced their daily expenditure. Former meals of fish have been replaced by vegetables and consumption patterns have been adapted to the constraints of survival.
Women such as Buyana Batende, who has turned to petty trading with the aid of a small community loan, are among the many navigating the razor thin margins of subsistence. Despite her efforts, the absence of a functioning financial system and the broader economic paralysis continue to pose immense challenges for her household.
In the months following Goma’s fall, the M23 has fortified its presence across North Kivu, particularly in the territories of Rutshuru, Masisi and Nyiragongo. It currently maintains control of key border points with Rwanda and Uganda, including Bunagana, which generate significant monthly revenue. According to a December 2025 report by the United Nations Group of Experts, the group has expanded its control over mineral rich territories in South Kivu, securing critical resources used to finance its military operations.
The M23 has recently claimed organisational reforms, including enhanced training for its fighters and a more centralised chain of command. These internal adjustments suggest a long term strategy aimed at consolidating territorial gains rather than preparing for withdrawal.
The DRC government has condemned the M23’s entrenchment, describing it as an externally supported attempt to undermine Congolese sovereignty. In recent diplomatic efforts, Kinshasa has insisted on full withdrawal of M23 forces and the restoration of state authority. However, the group continues to demand direct political dialogue, framing its struggle as a response to deeper governance issues.
Despite multiple mediation initiatives supported by the African Union, Angola, and Qatar, the conflict shows little sign of resolution. Repeated declarations of ceasefire have failed to halt sporadic clashes, particularly in rural areas where the Congolese military maintains a defensive posture. While regional actors including the United States have issued statements urging dialogue, tangible progress on the ground remains elusive.
Observers within the region, including former officials in North Kivu, note that both sides remain entrenched in their positions. The M23 believes it has the strategic advantage while the government resists any overtures that might be interpreted as legitimising an armed movement. This stalemate has narrowed the space for diplomatic compromise.
Although the conflict has often been framed through the lens of military control and mineral exploitation, the human experience remains central. Goma’s residents, whose lives have been upended by war, displacement and economic breakdown, continue to adapt with resilience, even as they face an uncertain future.
A durable solution will require more than ceasefires or elite negotiations. It must include structural reforms that address historical grievances, ensure equitable governance and prioritise the dignity and wellbeing of affected populations. The region’s stability will not emerge from military dominance alone but from inclusive processes that restore trust between the state and its citizens.
In the absence of such a process, the people of Goma and surrounding territories remain on the frontlines of a conflict that, for now, offers no clear exit.
