Ph. droits tiers
The Corniche border crossing, which connects Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Gisenyi in Rwanda, has begun a gradual reopening after more than a week without any new active Ebola cases reported in the vicinity, according to local sources.
In this initial phase, the measure targets specific categories of travelers, including those heading to Gisenyi for banking transactions, humanitarian workers traveling to Goma or continuing to Kigali for international flights, and individuals with urgent needs subject to immigration approval.
Residents on both sides of the border have welcomed the partial reopening. Cross-border exchanges had slowed considerably due to health restrictions imposed to contain the virus. The flow of people and goods, essential for the local economy, had been heavily impacted, disrupting commerce and daily commuting between Goma and Gisenyi.
Health authorities are maintaining epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, and community sensitization activities to prevent any possible resurgence of the disease, which has a high mortality rate in Central Africa.
The temporary closure of border posts between the DRC and Rwanda took effect on the morning of Sunday, May 17. For its part, the Rwandan Ministry of Health states that it is closely monitoring the outbreak in eastern DRC and confirms that no Ebola case has been registered on Rwandan territory to date.
By our correspondent in Goma
