Buhumuza : resettlement suspended – Congolese refugees face uncertainty

SOS Médias Burundi

Ruyigi, September 8, 2025 – A delegation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Resettlement Service, Ruyigi office, in Buhumuza province in eastern Burundi, visited several Congolese refugee camps on Monday, including Nyankanda. The objective was to inform refugees about the current status of the resettlement program, in a context marked by a rapid decline in humanitarian aid.

A program virtually at a standstill

According to reports, the resettlement program has been virtually suspended, although not officially halted. The slowdown is primarily due to the decision by the United States, the main host country for Congolese refugees, to temporarily freeze admissions for the current year. Traditionally, approximately 90% of refugee resettlements from Burundi involve the United States.

Canada, another participant in the program, offered a very limited quota—barely 2% of the available places, which have already been taken. Australia, for its part, has not yet announced its quota for 2025, plunging refugees into uncertainty.

Disappointment and frustration in the camps

In camps like Bwagiriza, Nyankanda, Musasa, Kinama, and Kavumu, refugees were awaiting this UNHCR visit with hope. Many had ongoing applications and were hoping for an imminent resumption of departures.

“Since the January announcement, we’ve been hoping for news. But today, we’re told the doors are still closed,” laments Jean-Paul, a refugee in Bwagiriza for 13 years.

Clemence, a refugee from the Nyankanda camp, shares the same sentiment :

“We were waiting for a date, a sign. But we’re only told that the program is slowing down. It’s hard, especially now that the humanitarian aid has significantly decreased.”

A deteriorating humanitarian context

The reduction in humanitarian aid is exacerbating the unease in the camps. For thousands of refugees, resettlement is not a luxury but the only hope for a safe and dignified future.

Although UNHCR representatives have assured that the program has not been canceled, this nuance is not enough to reassure those who have been waiting for years.

Resettlement : an opportunity for the most vulnerable

The resettlement program is intended for refugees identified as extremely vulnerable : victims of sexual violence, the elderly, unaccompanied children, the chronically ill, etc. It allows them to be welcomed into a third country that guarantees protection and stability.

Decisions influenced by geopolitics

While refugees understand the diplomatic and security issues that influence the decisions of host countries, they are calling for greater clarity, communication, and support.

Burundi currently hosts more than 90,000 Congolese refugees, mainly in the Bwagiriza, Nyankanda, Musasa, Kinama and Kavumu camps.