The insurgent leadership pointed out that the decision of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, approved by the Council of Ministers, regarding the plan to reopen the airport in the capital of North Kivu province, “is entirely unacceptable.”

The document stated, “The Kinshasa regime has neither the legitimacy nor the right to consider reopening the airport, an infrastructure located in the liberated territory that has been deliberately sabotaged. The airport could and will be reopened only by the AFC/M23 and not by Mr. Tshisekedi or anyone else.”

During the Council of Ministers meeting, the president instructed three deputy prime ministers to work together to create the necessary security and logistical conditions for the airport to become operational for humanitarian purposes.

They specified that this coordination must join the recommendations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), particularly regarding the protection of aircraft, the movement of humanitarian personnel, and security guarantees.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on October 30 the imminent reopening of Goma airport during the International Conference for Peace and Prosperity in the Great Lakes Region held in Paris.

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