Mass repatriation to Ruyigi : hundreds of Congolese refugees leave Busuma in an unprecedented convoy

SOS Médias Burundi

Ruyigi, April 23, 2026 — The voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees living at the Busuma site in Ruyigi district, Buhumuza province, eastern Burundi, officially began on Thursday, April 23. This first operation marks the launch of a large-scale process aimed at organizing the gradual return of thousands of people to the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a still fragile security context in the east of the country.

As early as 6:00 a.m., about fifteen buses, some chartered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), were parked in front of the offices of the National Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (ONPRA). A list of 500 people selected for this first convoy was posted, along with the assigned bus numbers. Of the 500 applicants, 470 responded to the call and were taken care of for their departure.

The official event began at 9:00 a.m. with speeches from the authorities. Diane Niyibitanga, the district administrator of Ruyigi, welcomed this progress made possible thanks to the cooperation between the Burundian and Congolese authorities, in collaboration with the UNHCR.

She acknowledged that living conditions at this informal settlement remained precarious, pushing some refugees to attempt clandestine returns, sometimes at the risk of their safety. She called for calm and assured them that repatriation operations would continue for all volunteers.

Brigitte Mukanga Eno, UNHCR Representative in Burundi, indicated that the convoys should continue at a rate of approximately 1,000 people per trip. The returns will take place to areas considered relatively stable, particularly in the Uvira region, before being sent back to their places of origin.

Upon their arrival in Kavimvira, the returnees were welcomed by Congolese authorities, UNHCR representatives, and national refugee agencies before being transferred to a transit site.

Several returnees expressed their relief upon returning to the DRC, citing the difficult living conditions at the Busuma site.

“We lost many loved ones because of the poor living conditions. We protested to demand our return… Today, we thank the UNHCR and the Burundian government,” one of them testified.

According to the UNHCR, the returnees will receive comprehensive humanitarian assistance, including food rations provided by the World Food Program (WFP), direct financial support for adults and children, specific housing assistance, school grants for children from vulnerable households, and hygiene kits for women aged 12 to 49.

In Kinshasa, authorities report that more than 43,000 refugees have already returned to South Kivu since the border reopened last March. It had been closed after the M23 rebels seized Uvira in December 2015, before withdrawing a month later.

The Busuma site is hosting civilians who have fled violence in several areas of South Kivu. The fighting pits the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by allied groups, against the M23 rebels.

To date, Burundi still hosts several hundred thousand Congolese refugees spread across various camps and sites. Burundian authorities and their humanitarian partners affirm their commitment to continuing this voluntary return process, under dignified and secure conditions.