UNHCR calls for urgent support to sustain refugee protection and returnee reintegration in Burundi
UNHCR calls for urgent support to sustain refugee protection and returnee reintegration in Burundi
Tens of thousands of Congolese refugees have fled to Burundi in recent months, putting humanitarian resources under immense strain.
GENEVA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is renewing its call for urgent funding to scale up lifesaving aid in Burundi, warning that the country is under intensifying humanitarian pressure as it hosts over 90,000 refugees who have escaped conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the past three months.
This influx includes the return of 10,000 Burundian nationals who have also fled the fighting. At the same time, Burundi is also reintegrating a growing number of Burundian refugees returning after years of exile from elsewhere in the region, especially from Tanzania.
After an official visit to Burundi last week, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, underscored the growing gap between escalating humanitarian needs and limited resources available to respond effectively.
At the overcrowded Busuma refugee site, now hosting over 66,000 Congolese refugees who have arrived in Burundi since late 2025, Menikdiwela witnessed the acute shortage of clean water, food, medicine, shelter and protection services. Cholera and other preventable diseases remain a serious threat, while nearly 10,000 people remain stranded in transit centres with limited infrastructure, awaiting transfer to the already overwhelmed site.
Of the $35 million required to provide lifesaving assistance in Burundi this year, only 20 per cent has so far been received. Burundi currently hosts more than 230,000 refugees, mainly from the DRC.
“Burundi has shown generosity in hosting tens of thousands of people fleeing violence in eastern DRC,” Menikdiwela said. “This must be matched by stronger international solidarity and immediate, sustained funding. Without it, lives are at risk.”
UNHCR stressed that while emergency assistance remains vital, isolated refugee sites like Busuma are a short-term measure. UNHCR calls on all partners to address immediate humanitarian needs while rallying behind community-hosting approaches that benefit both refugees and hosting Burundians. Inclusion and investment in host communities is crucial for sustainable self-reliance.
The strain on resources is compounded by the steady return of Burundian refugees from neighbouring countries. At the Nyabitare transit centre on the border with Tanzania, Menikdiwela could see at first hand the impact of the lack of resources as she met Burundian families returning after nearly a decade in exile.
Since 2017, more than 300,000 Burundian refugees have voluntarily returned from across the region, most from Tanzania. In the first two months of 2026, more than 28,000 Burundian refugees have returned from Tanzania, with over 8,000 of them in the past week alone. This significantly exceeds the weekly target of 3,000 agreed during the November 2025 Tripartite Commission Meeting between the Governments of Tanzania and Burundi, and UNHCR.
UNHCR has expressed concern that during the recent accelerated returns in Tanzania, refugee shelters have been demolished, forcing people to take refuge in already overcrowded departure centres and further straining conditions on the ground. Some refugees have also reportedly been subjected to mistreatment.
UNHCR continues to advocate with the Government of Tanzania at all levels to ensure that refugee rights and needs are safeguarded and that all returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.
Capacity is also severely overstretched in Burundi's reception and transit centres. Increased return pressures, reduced resources and limited staffing are straining operations on both sides of the border.
“We will continue to support the governments of Burundi and Tanzania to uphold their commitments according to the Tripartite arrangements around voluntary repatriation, and particularly in ensuring that refugees and their needs remain front and centre at every step of the repatriation process. We urge the international community to step up support, including from development partners, to ensure returnees can reintegrate in their communities and live in dignity,” said Menikdiwela.
For more information, please contact:
In Bujumbura, Bernard Ntwari, [email protected], +257 69 91 80 00
In Dar-es-Salaam, Bahia Egeh, [email protected], +255 765 168 179
In Nairobi (regional), Faith Kasina, [email protected], +254 113 427 094
In Geneva, Eujin Byun, [email protected], +41 79 747 8719
