Isiro-Ville Airport

The closure resulted from a combination of factors. Primarily, it was rendered obsolete by the larger and better-equipped Isiro-Matari Airport (ICAO: FZJH, IATA: IRP) located northeast of the city. The country's political instability and conflicts, particularly the Congo Wars, likely led to a lack of maintenance and funding. As the airport fell into disuse, the land was gradually reclaimed for urban expansion as the city of Isiro grew, with roads and buildings constructed directly over the former runway.

The site of the former Isiro-Ville Airport has been completely absorbed by the urban fabric of Isiro. The land is now a densely developed neighborhood with residential homes, commercial structures, and city streets. The former runway's path has been entirely built over, and no visible traces of airport infrastructure (such as a terminal, hangars, or markings) remain. Its former outline is only faintly discernible in satellite views due to the linear pattern of some of the development that followed its footprint.

As its name 'Isiro-Ville' (Isiro-City) suggests, this was likely the original airfield for Isiro (formerly known as Paulis during the Belgian colonial era). Its central location made it a convenient hub for administrative, missionary, and light commercial flights using small propeller aircraft. It served as a key local transport link for connecting the regional administrative center with other towns and remote outposts before air traffic was consolidated at the larger Matari Airport, which was built further from the city center to accommodate larger aircraft.

There are zero prospects for reopening this airport. The land has been fully and permanently repurposed for urban development, making any restoration of aviation facilities physically impossible. All current and future air transport needs for Isiro and the Haut-Uele province are served by the active Isiro-Matari Airport (FZJH/IRP).