The suspension of travel between the cities of Goma in the DRC and Gisenyi in Rwanda is triggering deep concern among the local population. This disruption at the border crossings has transformed the bustling trade hubs into zones of economic hardship.
Jacques Safari, a young man who makes his living selling eggs on the streets, has spent years working near the frontier. Since the gates were locked, his daily earnings have plummeted. “Our profits have vanished,” he explains. “Before the crossing was shut, I could easily sell five crates of eggs every day. Now, I struggle to sell even two. The financial climate is dire because most of my buyers were people traveling across the border.”
Supply chain disruptions
The crisis is equally visible among wholesalers dealing in manufactured goods. These traders are finding it increasingly difficult to restock their inventories now that the path to Rwanda is blocked.
Hamuli Kasilembo, a wholesaler operating in the Birere market, highlights the shift in dynamics. “When the border was accessible, we could simply cross over to get what we needed. Now, everything has become a struggle. Even finding customers is a challenge because there is simply no money moving through the community like there used to be,” he notes.
Expected consequences
Financial experts argue that the negative repercussions of this shutdown were entirely foreseeable. The flow of goods and people between Goma and Gisenyi serves as the lifeblood for both urban centers, with countless small-scale entrepreneurs relying on this connection.
According to economist Alphonse Muanda, the decision by Rwandan officials to seal the border hits the most vulnerable hardest. “The small-scale traders are the primary victims. Many of them survive on what they earn each day through cross-border transactions. Others relied on Gisenyi for bulk purchases of essential items like rice, soap, and other household staples,” he observes.
The Rwandan government implemented the closure as a sanitary precaution to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus. As these restrictions persist, the residents of Goma are becoming increasingly fearful that social instability and poverty will intensify in the coming weeks.
