Heineken Withdraws Staff as Rebels Seize Facilities in DR Congo

 Heineken, the Dutch brewing giant, has evacuated 50 expatriate staff from its facilities in Goma, eastern DR Congo, after M23 rebels seized its brewery and warehouses on June 19. The withdrawal, prompted by escalating violence, disrupts Heineken’s operations in a region producing 10% of its African revenue.

M23, backed by Rwanda per UN reports, overran Goma’s industrial zone, looting $5 million in equipment. Heineken, operating in DRC since 1994, suspended production at its 1.2 million-hectolitre plant, impacting 1,000 local jobs. The company cited safety concerns, with 21 civilians killed near Goma’s Katindo camp. DRC’s government deployed 2,000 troops to retake the area.

The crisis, displacing 1.7 million in North Kivu, threatens DRC’s $1 billion beer market. Heineken, in a statement, pledged to resume operations once stability returns. Nigeria, a key Heineken market, faces no supply disruptions. A peace deal initialed on June 18 between DRC and Rwanda, to be signed June 27, offers hope.