Banks shut, futures uncertain one year after M23 rebels seized DRC’s Goma

Al JazeeraCenterEN 8 min read 100% complete by Ajabu AdolpheJanuary 29, 2026 at 07:26 AM

AI Summary

long article 8 min

One year after M23 rebels seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the city is struggling with economic instability. When the rebels took control in January 2025, all banks in Goma closed, severely impacting the local population. Many residents, like pharmacy owner Sheilla Zawadi, have been forced to find alternative solutions to access their money, such as crossing the border into Rwanda to use ATMs. While markets and traffic appear normal, essential financial institutions remain shut, leaving the future uncertain for Goma's residents. The closure of banks has disrupted livelihoods and created significant challenges for everyday transactions.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Rawbank 50% Sheilla Zawadi ×260% Ecobank ×260% Access Bank ×260% Rwanda ×270% North Kivu ×280% Democratic Republic of the Congo ×385% M23 ×690% Goma ×895%

Keywords

m23 rebels 100% goma 90% banking 80% economic impact 70% democratic republic of the congo 70% north kivu 60% atm 50% security situation 50% border crossing 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Goma

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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m23 rebels goma banking economic impact democratic republic of the congo north kivu atm security situation border crossing

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