Burundi, more than 200,000 refugees have been assisted in their voluntary return from neighboring countries

ROME – “We live in a world with few opportunities to pursue solutions to forced migration – said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugeesat the top of theUNHCR – all too often conflicts last for many years, but it is encouraging to see Burundian refugees choosing to return after so many years in exile. We must all work to ensure that their repatriation is sustainable – she added – the efforts of the Government of Burundi and its partners to facilitate the return home of Burundian refugees are very encouraging ”. Grandi visited the Rugombo area, where she met with some recently returned Burundians and witnessed first-hand the support that UNHCR and its partners have provided to returnees to rebuild their lives.

What is assistance? Assistance for those returning to Burundi includes transport, food, a cash fund and household items. Given the extent of the needs, theUNHCR has decided to step up its support for returnees. “However, there is a need for development actors to work together to increase access to services and livelihoods in returning communities, which also need to be supported. These are Burundian citizens, who must be integrated into national development plans and initiatives”, said Filippo Grandi. Burundi is also generously hosting 80,000 Congolese refugees in the transit center of Cishemere, in the country’s northwest bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where there are people fleeing brutal violence and attacks in eastern DRC.

Burundi is among the poorest nations in the world. Its recent history has been marked by an ethnically motivated civil war, which lasted over ten years, which caused the death of more than 300,000 people. With the coming to power in 2005 of Pierre Nkurunziza, a former leader of the rebel formations who – according to a consolidated script in many African countries – after taking power immediately revealed his inclination towards authoritarian and repressive methods of government. Ten years after his rise to power, Nkurunziza decided to run again for his third term, despite the fact that this was not foreseen by the constitution. The choice of the president stubbornly staying in power fueled numerous protests, during which there was an attempted coup d’état. The government unleashed a very harsh repression, with the death in the streets of hundreds of people and thousands of refugees fleeing the Pase. The UNHCR calculated about 345,000 Burundian refugees in neighboring countries.

The help of the European Union. In this context, UNHCR welcomes the recent announcement by the European Union of the generous allocation of €40 million over the next few years to different partners supporting solutions for Burundi. The funding will ensure that Burundian refugees in the region, as well as those who have already returned, have the support they need to live in safety and dignity. Assistance will include protection and resilience support, legal aid, prevention and response to gender-based violence, literacy and agricultural activities.