00:05Thousands in Uvira Canal breathed a sigh of relief after facing isolation and uncertainty.
00:12Movement is back at this border post between the DRC and Burundi, a key transit point for
00:17traders and residents.
00:19And as activities resume on both sides, the repose is visible.
00:24The interruption led to rising prices, shortage of certain basic goods and significant income
00:29losses for many households.
00:32We had been unemployed for a long time.
00:35We couldn't stay at home for long.
00:37It's there in Bunjumbura that we find work to make a living.
00:41I'm personally delighted, but I think others feel the same way.
00:45When the border is open, we are free to work to earn a living.
00:52In our work, we had no income because there was no movement of people, which is why today
00:57I thank God that the border is reopening.
01:03Since the day the border was closed, we had nothing else to do.
01:06We went home hungry with our children.
01:08Now we are very happy to see that the border is reopened.
01:11We are back to work.
01:12We will start to have money to feed our families and cater to our children who are studying.
01:18Uvira is the second-largest city in South Kivu province and a crucial commercial gateway
01:23linking to Burundi's economic hub, Bunjumbura.
01:26It has also served as the temporary administrative headquarters for the provincial government
01:31after the capital Bukavu was captured by the M23 in February 2025.
01:36For now, hope is reborn in Uvira with a gradual return to normalcy.
01:40However, other crossing points along the Burundi-DRC border remain closed in areas where M23 fighters
01:47are still active.
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