"It was early on Monday, January 27, 2025, when M23 rebels made good on their threat from a few days prior and seized Goma, before advancing in DRC's east and taking other key cities in the weeks and months that followed. With the deteriorating security situation, all banks in Goma shut, and ATMs stopped operating. The effects on the local population were harsh and immediate."
"Sitting at the door of a pharmacy she runs in central Goma, Sheilla Zawadi watches the traffic on the road go by, recounting the way her business and livelihood have changed in the last year. She has an account with Access Bank, but lost her bank card just before the city fell to the rebels and she does not have a mobile banking app to conduct transactions electronically."
M23 rebels seized Goma on January 27, 2025, then advanced through eastern DRC and captured other key cities, triggering a security collapse. Streets and markets in Goma appear busy, but many essential buildings remain closed and all banks shut, leaving ATMs nonfunctional. Bank branches such as Rawbank, Ecobank and Access Bank closed their doors and sealed entrances. The loss of local banking services immediately harmed livelihoods, forcing residents without mobile banking or accessible bank branches to cross into neighboring Rwanda to withdraw cash. Individuals and businesses face ongoing financial and mobility challenges amid the instability.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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