DRC markets and trade disrupted by Rwanda border closure

Added: 2026-05-29

[00:00:00]Bukavu city's main supply lines have been cut off. Food prices have skyrocketed, triggering a major economic crisis.

[00:00:11]>> Since the closure of the borders, trade has ground to a halt. Before, we were selling for 65 US cents. Today, we're selling at over a dollar. All this because of the border closures. So, there's been a rise in the price of goods.

[00:00:26]>> With supplies running dry, storage facilities that were once packed with goods now sit empty, forcing sellers to abandon their stalls.

[00:00:37]>> There used to be lots of goods here, right up to the ceiling.

[00:00:42]Everyone's stock used to reach right up to the ceiling.

[00:00:46]The warehouse is now empty because the border is closed. Nothing is coming in.

[00:00:52]>> It is not just food that's becoming scarce. Banks in Bukavu have also remained closed since February last year after the city was captured by M23 rebels. So, residents can't access the US dollars needed for trade, leaving many financially stranded.

[00:01:12]>> We depend on Rwanda. Previously, to get dollars, we had to cross into Rwanda.

[00:01:17]But now that the banks are closed, we're all in a bind and can't figure out how to manage our finances. I was supposed to go to Kenya next week, but unfortunately, the borders are closed.

[00:01:29]We don't know what to do, so we are suffering much more because of this disease.

[00:01:34]>> As medical teams work to track and stop the spread of the rare Ebola virus across borders, for local traders, this crisis is no longer just about health. It's a desperate battle to keep their livelihoods alive.

[00:01:50]Hope Tubi, TRT World.