€1.5 bn Promise for Great Lakes: Paris Pledge Under the Microscope

Ce qu’il faut retenir

The Paris Support Conference for Peace and Prosperity in the Great Lakes closed with headline pledges worth €1.5 billion, renewed diplomatic energy and talk of reopening Goma airport. Yet humanitarian actors warn that recycled commitments, blurred timelines and fierce regional rivalries could still stall the initiative.

Diplomatic Momentum Revived

Hosted on 30 October by President Emmanuel Macron, the meeting gathered more than 70 delegations, ranging from Western powers to multilateral agencies and humanitarian chiefs. By putting the Democratic Republic of Congo back at the centre of global attention, Paris signalled that the Great Lakes crisis remains a test of collective resolve.

Kinshasa seized the moment. President Félix Tshisekedi presented the hall with an urgent appeal for safe humanitarian corridors and pressed participants to demand an immediate withdrawal of M23 fighters and foreign troops from eastern DRC. Diplomats described the mood as unusually frank, yet also constructive and solution-focused.

Financial Promises Under the Microscope

The figure of €1.5 billion dazzles, but close reading shows only about €1 billion is genuinely new. Roughly €500 million had already been programmed earlier in the year, while another slice revives dormant promises. Aid groups therefore caution against “double counting” and urge donors to publish disbursement schedules without delay.

Humanitarian Caveats

“The conference sent a vital message of solidarity,” stressed Luc Lamprière, head of the INGO Forum in DRC. “But its impact will be measured by how quickly red tape is lifted on the ground.” His assessment captures a broader fear: money without access could leave vulnerable communities no better protected.

Goma Airport Lifeline

Macron’s announcement of a phased reopening of Goma airport for daylight humanitarian flights offered a rare practical deliverable. He underscored that the operation would respect Congolese sovereignty and be complemented by additional corridors, including one through Burundi. For aid planners, air access could shorten delivery times by weeks.

Backlash and Skepticism

The proposal nonetheless drew fire. Corneille Nangaa of the M23-aligned AFC blasted the idea as “inopportune” and disconnected from battlefield realities. Kigali’s foreign minister Olivier Nduhungirehe argued that security conditions made any reopening premature. Paris replied that talks, facilitated by Qatar, would continue with “new momentum”.

Kinshasa’s Reconstruction Blueprint

Beyond emergency relief, Tshisekedi sketched a five-billion-dollar plan to rebuild North and South Kivu by 2026 once fighting ceases. Details remain scarce; he simply noted that a dedicated law will steer the fund. Partner governments responded politely but withheld firm pledges pending clarity on financing sources.

Implementation Calendar Unknowns

The unresolved issue is timing. Neither Paris nor Kinshasa could specify when the pledged euros would reach field projects or when the first aircraft might land in Goma. For humanitarian coordinators already juggling cholera spikes and displacement, predictable cash flow and logistics windows matter more than press-conference headlines.

Logistics and Administrative Hurdles

Field staff underline that money alone cannot untie the bureaucratic knots choking the response. Customs fees on medicine, parallel checkpoints on provincial roads and visa delays for surgeons have slowed lifesaving missions all year. Delegates urged Kinshasa and provincial authorities to issue the necessary decrees in tandem with donor disbursements.

Regional Security Context

The security backdrop explains the caution. The airport has been closed since January, after M23 advances turned it into artillery range and shut trade lifelines. Any resumption, even limited to small cargos, hinges on ceasefire observance and on the rebels’ willingness to vacate key positions.

Diplomatic Stakes for Paris

For Macron, the conference served double duty: a chance to reassert French influence in Central Africa and to counter criticism that Western capitals focus on Ukraine at Africa’s expense. Success will be judged less by speeches in Paris than by water points, classrooms and markets rebuilt in Kivu.

Global Coalition and Coordination

More than 70 delegations signed a loosely worded communique, pledging coordination of humanitarian, development and peace instruments. While such coalitions often fray, the breadth of signatories—from the EU and World Bank to Gulf states—offers political cover for the difficult months of negotiations ahead, if donors resist the temptation to revert to bilateral action.

Path to Tangible Impact

The Paris meeting rekindled diplomatic attention and unlocked a sizeable, if partly repackaged, pot of money. Whether that momentum translates into safer roads, reopened markets and a functional airport now depends on tight follow-up. The Great Lakes have heard promises before; delivery will tell the story.