MONUSCO Chief Urges Reopening of Goma Airport

GOMA, February 12, 2026 - Vivian van de Perre, Acting Head of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, visited Goma for the first time in over a year to call for the reopening of Goma airport. She arrived by helicopter on the morning of February 12, marking the first use of the airport since the AFC/M23 coalition took control of the city in late January 2025. The visit aimed to coordinate with stakeholders, including members of the Great Lakes region community, in preparation for ceasefire monitoring operations in Uvira Territory. The UN Security Council has mandated MONUSCO to monitor the ceasefire between the DRC Government and AFC/M23, in collaboration with the regional EJVM. Van de Perre said: “I would like to remind you that more than a year ago, on January 26, 2025, I was on the last plane to land at Goma airport. Today, I was on the first helicopter to land here. I hope this marks the gradual reopening of the airport for the benefit of the population.” On February 10, 2026, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, announced that MONUSCO would use Goma airport for ceasefire monitoring operations, adding that surveillance drones would first be deployed from the airport to assess the security situation in Uvira before troops arrive.