Armed individuals take control of Heineken facilities in eastern Congo
Dutch beverages conglomerate Heineken announced it lost operational control over several of its facilities in the astern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The brewer said the situation in the country has “deteriorated” during the ongoing civil conflict between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group.
“Armed personnel have taken control of our facilities in Bukavu, Goma and nearby areas,” Heineken wrote in a statement on Friday. “The conditions required to operate responsibly and safely are no longer present and as of 12th June 2025, we have lost operational control.”
The company said it pulled its staff out, and is continuing to pay the workers. Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of our employees,” Heineken wrote. “Our thoughts are with our employees and their families during this difficult time.”
Other Heineken locations in the DRC are still operational. The Dutch multinational acquired a majority stake in Congolese brewer Bralima in 1986. It is known regionally for the brands Primus and the Central African version of French brand Mützig.
Just this year, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the conflict in the region. Rebels took over key positions in the cities of Goma and Bukavu, with reports of kidnappings, executions of children, and looting, including at Bralima facilities. Several embassies in the capital of Kinshasa were also attacked, including the building that houses the Dutch diplomatic mission.
Nonprofit group Human Rights Watch has said M23 is backed by Rwanda, which that country has denied in the past. A ceasefire between the DRC and M23 was brokered by Qatar in April, and a provisional cessation of hostilities between DRC and Rwanda is expected to be signed next week, according to the U.S. Department of State.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and actively assessing our options as the situation evolves,” Heineken said.
Conflict with the violent M23 rebel movement has been off-and-on for years, particularly in the eastern region of the country where there are significant resources in the land. After two decades of war, a peace deal was brokered in 2013.
Tensions flared up again in 2017, with allegations the M23 group was being aided by Uganda, and later by Rwanda. The renewed fighting prompted Pope Francis to cancel his visit to the region in 2023 as fighting continued.
