Banks closed, future uncertain year after M23 rebels took DRC’s Goma

A year after M23 rebels seized control of Goma in the DRC, essential buildings like banks remain shut, forcing residents like Sheilla Zawadi to cross into Rwanda to access their funds, incurring extra costs. While the security situation has improved, banks have not reopened, leading to economic struggles in the cash-based city. Before the rebels took Goma, there was fighting and casualties, with the rebels claiming to bring peace, but the economy continues to suffer, making it difficult for normalcy to return.

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