Macron Says Goma Airport to Reopen Soon for Humanitarian Flights

President Emmanuel Macron has announced that Goma International Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will soon reopen to enable humanitarian operations in the country’s war-torn eastern provinces.

The French leader made the remarks on October 30, 2025, while addressing an international summit on peace and security in the Great Lakes region taking place in Paris.

Delegates from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, the DRC, the United States, Qatar, and representatives of the African Union, European Union, United Nations, and several global organizations attended the high-level gathering.

One of the main aims of the summit was to raise funds to assist people affected by the four-year-long conflict in eastern Congo.

France and Togo co-hosted the event after it emerged that, by mid-October 2025, only 16 percent of the $2.5 billion pledged for humanitarian relief this year had been raised.

President Macron revealed that the conference managed to secure €1.5 billion (about $1.7 billion) to help close that financial gap. The money, he said, will primarily support internally displaced persons, focusing on women and children in need of food and medical care.

He emphasized that reopening Goma Airport is vital for improving the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities.

The airport has been shut down since January 2025, following the M23 rebels’ capture of Goma. At that time, government forces were accused of damaging the facility as they retreated. Although UN technicians later carried out partial repairs, the Congolese government has since restricted its use, citing ongoing insecurity.

Macron said arrangements are being finalized to allow two humanitarian flights a week, stressing that the sovereignty of the DRC will remain fully respected throughout the process. “In the coming weeks, Goma Airport will reopen for humanitarian flights twice a week. These will be small planes due to current limitations. This operation will strictly respect the DRC’s sovereignty to ensure aid reaches those in need without delay,” he said.

The French President also appealed to the United States and Qatar, both active in regional mediation efforts, to help facilitate the reopening and ensure the safety of aid operations.

According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than two million people have been displaced by fighting in eastern Congo since the beginning of 2025, while an estimated 28 million citizens across the country are struggling with acute food shortages.