DRC rescinds tax directive on M23 zones after backlash
Baggage handlers work to load goods onto the Emmanuel boat after its first trip between Bukavu and Goma since the city was taken over by M23 rebels, in Goma, North Kivu province, DRC on February 18, 2025.
The Congolese government has backtracked on a move to tax goods coming from areas controlled by the M23 rebel group, following an overnight public outcry.
The Congolese General Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDA) of North Kivu said on Wednesday that it had reversed the decision, which would have considered all goods coming from Goma, Bunagana and Ishasha, areas occupied by the M23 rebels, as new imports subject to tax.
