M23 rebellion : war slows trade between Burundi and DR Congo
Income-generating projects have slowed down in Burundi since the fighting in eastern DRC escalated last February.
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00:00Income generating projects have slowed down in Burundi since the fighting in eastern DRC escalated last February.
00:09Trade and transportations are the most affected activities in the Gatumba sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo's west boundary.
00:19Many households along National Road No. 4 connecting Bujumbura and Nuvira face economic challenges due to a significant traffic decrease.
00:29Today we are having a few passengers from Nuvira to Burundi which can just be two of them. Things are different.
00:37What used to happen before is no longer happening today.
00:41We are supposed to get at least four clients from Nuvira and that would make us feel better but now we can go home empty.
00:50The large volume of traders between Burundi and eastern DRC has made National Route 4 highly profitable.
00:56However, Congolese buyers have stopped purchasing from an important market in the capital.
01:03Fiston Mulondani, a driver on the Nuvira-Gatumba route, shares his frustrations regarding this issue.
01:10Previously conditions were much better. I could rise up in the morning and ferry passengers from Nuvira to Bujumbura.
01:20And those days were significantly better. I managed to do two trips each day.
01:27Sadly, things took a turn for the worst in mid-February.
01:34In the fourth quarter of 2023, over 89% of Burundi's export went to DRC, making it a key market.
01:42However, due to border closure and the influx of refugees, trade with the DRC has significantly slowed down, raising concerns about an economic crisis.
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