News: Road insecurity continues to plague the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in the DRC
In recent months, economic operators in North Kivu and Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo have denounced a series of burnings of transport vehicles perpetrated by armed groups. Since the beginning of 2023, more than a hundred vehicles have been destroyed, highlighting the persistence of insecurity in the region.
Economic operators particularly deplore the situation on the Mambasa-Komanda-Luna sections in Ituri and Kanyabayonga-Rutsuru in North Kivu. These roads, in addition to being affected by dilapidated infrastructure, are also the scene of attacks perpetrated by armed groups.
In a document addressed to the governors of the two provinces, the Fédération des entreprises du Congo (FEC) of the Beni-Lubero group called on the authorities to act quickly to secure the region and rehabilitate the damaged roads.
The memorandum from the economic operators highlights several problems they face, such as the persistence of insecurity on the national roads and agricultural service roads, as well as the dilapidated state of the roads which make vehicles vulnerable to attacks.
An emblematic incident occurred on May 21, when members of the ADF armed group blocked a convoy of vehicles in the village of Sokotano. Seven trucks were set on fire, resulting in the destruction of goods.
The movement of goods and people is also hampered in North Kivu due to the blockade by the M23 armed group on the Kanyabayonga-Rutshuru axis.
Faced with these multiple challenges, economic operators plead for the resumption of military escorts in order to guarantee the safety of users, as well as the deployment of new units of the Congolese army, with the support of the Ugandan army. They are also asking for the reopening of traffic between Kanyabayonga and Rutshuru in order to facilitate trade.
On the economic level, they urge the government to rehabilitate the damaged road sections and ensure their regular maintenance.
These demands echo the call of economic operators for concerted action by the authorities to put an end to insecurity and promote the economic development of the North Kivu and Ituri regions. The worrying situation of road insecurity in the region requires an urgent response in order to guarantee the safety of users and stimulate trade in this part of the country