Eastern DRC: how the AFC/M23 enriched itself through the beer business
Rebels supported by Rwanda earn millions from the beer trade in the DRC, favouring Rwandan breweries while stifling their Burundian competitors. The former AFC/M23, which became the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) on 12 October 2026 at Joseph Kabila's urging, collected at least $3 million from taxes on beer imports in Bukavu, eastern DRC. The Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) investigation reports this.
Why it matters: The findings show how conflict economies in eastern DRC convert control over consumer imports into revenue and regional market advantage.