Labor migration : Gitega worried about drifts of some Burundians abroad

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, March 15, 2026 — The Government of Burundi calls on foreign job applicants to strictly comply with the legal procedures and laws of their host countries. The warning was issued on Friday by Foreign Affairs Minister Edouard Bizimana during a press briefing held in Bujumbura at the ministry’s headquarters on the situation of Burundian expatriates for professional reasons.

According to the head of Burundian diplomacy, 64 state-recognized agencies are currently authorized to recruit and send Burundian workers out of the small east African nation. To date, 21,642 people have already benefited from this labor migration program.

The main destination remains Saudi Arabia, which alone welcomes more than 21,200 Burundian workers. Other recruiters are also employed in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, as well as Serbia and Albania.

Passports abandoned to migrate clandestinely

Despite this organization, some practices worry authorities. The minister revealed that more than 140 Burundian passports have been found in trash in Europe, notably in Serbia.

According to him, some migrant workers voluntarily abandon their travel documents in an attempt to clandestinely rejoin other European countries.

“These behaviors tarnish Burundi’s image abroad,” said Edouard Bizimana, adding that these actions also complicate the work of consular services.

Cases of fraud in South Korea

Burundian authorities are also monitoring the situation of their refugees in South Korea. After the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 240 Burundians are implicated in document forgery cases.

The Indian government does not yet know if these individuals will face deportation to their home country. Some sanctions could however be considered if the infractions are confirmed.

About 4,000 Burundians detained in Tanzania

The plight of Burundians incarcerated abroad is also a source of concern for Gitega. The minister pointed out that around 4,000 Burundian refugees are currently detained in Tanzania for non-compliance with local legislation.

The ministry said it was working with the Burundian Embassy in Dar es-Salaam to explore the possibility of their release and repatriation.

Faced with these circumstances, the government calls on citizens wishing to work abroad to follow official procedures and abide by the laws of their host countries.

For Edouard Bizimana, labor migration represents an important opportunity for the national economy and for Burundian families, but it must be done within a legal and responsible framework in order to preserve the country’s image.

The minister however did not specify the exact period during which these thousands of Burundians left the country as part of the labor migration. In recent years, seeking a job abroad has become an option increasingly privileged by many young people in the small east African nation faced with a lack of economic opportunities.