Burundi Closes Door to Recent Visitors of M23-Held Eastern DR Congo

Burundi has closed its border to people who have been in or merely passed through areas of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) controlled by the AFC-M23 armed movement. The Interior, Community Development and Public Security Minister, Léonidas Ndaruzaniye, announced the measure on 2 October 2026 and said it was being applied immediately.

The rule matters for anyone whose itinerary touches eastern DRC, because the ban covers transit as well as residence in the affected areas, and border controls have been tightened at key crossings.

Key facts

• Announced on 2 October 2026 and enforced immediately.
• Applies to people who have stayed in or transited through AFC-M23-controlled areas of eastern DRC.
• Specifically named: Congolese citizens from those areas and United Nations personnel who worked there.
• No published legal text sets out required documents, exceptions or a precise effective date.
• Entry refusals and arrests reported at the Gatumba-Kavimvira and Kobero crossings.

What is changing?

Entry into Burundi is prohibited for anyone originating from, or having transited through, territory in eastern DRC under the control of the AFC-M23. Minister Ndaruzaniye told a meeting of police officials in Bujumbura that he would not reverse the decision despite repeated appeals to reconsider it or to allow transit through Burundian territory. He also described Burundi as an ally of Kinshasa and called for vigilance.

Who is affected?

The measure names Congolese citizens who come from the affected areas and United Nations staff who have been working there. The announcement also creates a significant risk of refused entry for travellers affiliated with NGOs or businesses who have been in those areas.

What rules and documents are required?

That remains unclear. Burundian authorities have not released any public legal text detailing the measure's effective date, the documents travellers must present, or any exceptions. In the absence of official guidance, practical application at border crossings is uncertain.

What is happening at the border crossings?

Local sources have reported heightened scrutiny of travellers from AFC-M23-controlled areas for several months. The Gatumba-Kavimvira crossing, which links Bujumbura with Uvira, was closed after the AFC-M23 took control of Uvira in December 2025 and reopened on 23 February 2026, with immigration procedures resuming. Entry refusals and arrests have since been reported there and at other crossings.

Difficulties have also been reported along the Kobero axis on the border with Tanzania for people from the sub-region trying to reach Bujumbura or South Kivu. Relatives and local sources say two businessmen from Kirundo have been missing for several weeks and allege they were arrested at Kobero by agents of the National Intelligence Service (SNR), although no official confirmation of their arrest or disappearance has been made public.

Why is this happening?

The decision follows escalating tensions in eastern DRC, where the AFC-M23 has seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu, and Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. Kinshasa and Gitega have accused Rwanda of supporting the AFC-M23; Kigali denies this. Burundi has more than 29,000 soldiers deployed alongside Congolese forces.

The conflict has also driven large-scale displacement into neighbouring countries, including Burundi. Provisional United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) figures indicate around 142,000 new arrivals from eastern DRC were registered in Burundi between January 2025 and 31 March 2026, of whom roughly 109,000 arrived after 6 December 2025.

What this means for travellers

Anyone who has been in or transited through AFC-M23-controlled areas of eastern DRC should expect to be refused entry into Burundi and plan accordingly. Because no legal text has been published, travellers should watch for official guidance on documentation and exceptions and assess the risk of uneven enforcement at Gatumba-Kavimvira and Kobero before travelling.

Minister Ndaruzaniye is due to take the same briefing to police officers in Burundi's four other provinces, with Gitega next on the schedule. No further rules or changes have been announced.