Since December 9, 2025, the city of Uvira, one of the most important cities in South Kivu Province, has fallen under the control of the AFC/M23 coalition, following a brief period of fighting against a joint force of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the Burundian army. The capture of this city is seen as a major turning point in the conflict in eastern Congo, particularly in terms of security and economic dynamics.
Information from various reliable sources indicates that the takeover of Uvira did not involve intense fighting like that seen in other cities. After AFC/M23 had captured the surrounding areas, FARDC and Burundian troops stationed in the city chose to withdraw and flee, allowing AFC/M23 fighters to enter Uvira without facing significant resistance.
Analysts say this operation signals a shift in AFC/M23’s military strategy, as the movement is no longer focused solely on self-defense but is now prioritizing the capture of areas with high economic and regional strategic value. Uvira, located very close to Burundi and situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, is regarded as the heart of South Kivu’s commercial activity.
AFC/M23’s decision to capture Uvira after a year of reported developments is also interpreted as a response to persistent attacks against civilians in South Kivu, particularly the Banyamulenge community, including airstrikes and drone attacks, which the group says were carried out by the Kinshasa government’s coalition forces. AFC/M23 has consistently stated that its entry into Uvira aimed to stop these abuses and protect civilians.
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Uvira covers an area of 207 square kilometers and is home to more than 726,000 residents, according to 2024 figures.
Its economy is largely based on trade, fishing in Lake Tanganyika, agriculture, and livestock farming, both small and large. This makes the city a vital hub for the livelihoods of many people in South Kivu.
The city is located just 25 kilometers from Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. In the past, Uvira served as a key transit route for goods from eastern Congo to Bujumbura, especially agricultural products. It was also a passageway for petroleum products, cooking oil, and sugar that entered Burundi through smuggling networks, as these goods remained scarce in that country.
Because it lies along Lake Tanganyika, Uvira plays a major role in cross-border trade conducted via water routes. The lake is one of the most heavily used waterways for trade linking the DRC with countries in southern and eastern Africa.
From an economic standpoint, the capture of Uvira opens new doors for AFC/M23. Through Lake Tanganyika, the group can easily access the ports of Kigoma in Tanzania and Mpulungu in Zambia. This could enable expanded trade, investment, and international commercial activities in the areas under its control.
The benefits of capturing Uvira are not limited to security, which AFC/M23 says is its primary objective, but also extend to economic self-reliance. Analysts note that controlling cities with ports and trade routes gives the movement greater financial autonomy and strengthens its long-term operational capacity.
Uvira is considered a key transit corridor for goods between the DRC and neighboring countries to the south and east. Essential imports enter the country through the port of Kigoma in Tanzania, while agricultural products from South Kivu are exported abroad through the same route.
Economic experts argue that Uvira’s geographic position and the presence of the Kalundu port make it one of the cities with the greatest development potential in South Kivu Province. This is also cited as a major source of concern for the DRC government, which has lost an important commercial hub.
The DRC has two major ports on Lake Tanganyika: Kalemie and Kalundu. The port of Kalundu is located in the northwestern part of the lake, just 4.5 kilometers from central Uvira. It is very close to the port of Bujumbura, which is only 25 kilometers away by water.
Kalundu port was built in the 1950s, with a width of 60 meters and a length of 300 meters, and has the capacity to handle more than 120,000 tons of cargo per year. The main goods transported through this port include cement, wheat flour, rice, and sugar.
Despite its importance, the roads linking the port to other cities such as Uvira and Bukavu are severely degraded and have long posed security challenges due to the presence of armed groups. Previously, travel from Kalundu to Bukavu, a distance of over 130 kilometers, could take between eight and ten hours.
Analysts note that as AFC/M23 has organized and stabilized cities it has controlled for some time, such as Goma and Bukavu, and as regional trade has resumed, Uvira could also emerge as a new center of economic growth and improved regional relations.
Alain Destexhe, a former Belgian senator and former Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), stated that the capture of Uvira represents a significant loss for President Félix Tshisekedi’s government. However, he emphasized that the DRC’s main economic stronghold remains in Katanga, particularly in the city of Lubumbashi.
Destexhe said: “As long as Katanga remains under the influence of Moïse Katumbi, it is difficult for the Kinshasa government to collapse quickly. Lubumbashi is still more than 1,000 kilometers away from Uvira via Kalemie.”
He added that the conflict in eastern Congo is largely driven by security concerns, arguing that AFC/M23 claims to be focused on protecting civilians who have been subjected to airstrikes, killings, and harassment by a government that should have been protecting them.
He concluded by criticizing countries that issued statements condemning the fighting, saying they should first have condemned and stopped the violence that civilians had endured for many months before denouncing the response taken by those who claimed to be defending them.
The capture of Uvira places AFC/M23 in a new position, where it is no longer seen merely as an armed coalition, but as a key actor with significant influence over security, economic activity, and the broader stability of Central and Eastern Africa.
