The Corniche border crossing connecting Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Gisenyi in Rwanda has begun a gradual reopening after more than a week without any new active Ebola cases reported in the area, according to local officials.
Initially, the measure applies to specific traveler categories, including individuals heading to Gisenyi for banking transactions, humanitarian workers traveling to Goma or onward to Kigali for international flights, and those with urgent reasons subject to immigration approval.
Residents on both sides of the border have welcomed the partial resumption, as cross-border movement had slowed considerably due to health restrictions aimed at containing the virus. The trade and daily travel between Goma and Gisenyi, vital for the local economy, had been severely disrupted.
Health authorities continue epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, and community outreach to prevent any resurgence of the disease, which has a high fatality rate in Central Africa.
The temporary closure of border posts between the DRC and Rwanda had been in effect since the morning of Sunday, May 17. Rwanda’s health ministry is closely tracking the outbreak in eastern DRC and confirms no Ebola cases have been recorded on Rwandan soil so far.
