Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, has rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s claim that the M23 rebels and their allies are responsible for the delay in reopening Goma International Airport. Macron argued that the Democratic Republic of Congo had fulfilled all administrative conditions, implying that the rebels were the obstacle. Nduhungirehe countered that this view contradicts the conclusions of the October 30 Humanitarian Conference on the Great Lakes Region in Paris, where participants agreed that the conditions for reopening the airport would be negotiated in Doha. He stressed that Rwanda has not adopted a different position and noted that France’s own foreign minister confirmed that the issue would be addressed through Doha‑based talks.
The minister challenged the notion that Kinshasa’s administrative directives can determine the airport’s status, pointing out that the Congolese government does not physically control the facility. He argued that reopening cannot depend on “administrative conditions” imposed by a party to the conflict that does not hold the airport. Instead, realistic and efficient discussions must involve the de‑facto authorities who actually control the area.
Nduhungirehe also highlighted the contradictory expectations between Paris and Kinshasa. The “administrative conditions” set by Kinshasa differ from those articulated by Paris, and the real obstacle to reopening is the ongoing military activity. Kinshasa conducts daily bombardments targeting both M23 positions and Banyamulenge civilian areas, and the minister said that a genuine cessation of these bombings is necessary for the airport to reopen, not the administrative hurdles imposed by Kinshasa.
He reminded France that the first protocol of the Doha framework agreement, signed on November 15, focuses on guaranteeing humanitarian access that is “unhindered, safe and sustainable.” The dispute over Goma Airport continues to test the fragile Qatar‑led peace process; although both sides signed a framework agreement earlier this year, implementation has been uneven. The airport’s future has become a focal point of regional and international diplomacy, with Kinshasa, Kigali, Paris and Doha all publicly weighing in. Reopening the airport is crucial for humanitarian operations in North Kivu, as it serves as the main logistical hub for supplies and peacekeeping missions. Control of the facility remains a strategic centerpiece in the conflict, with Kinshasa seeking to restore sovereignty and M23 maintaining control to reinforce its bargaining power.
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