More than 234,000 Burundian refugees repatriated by the end of December 2023
Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - More than 234,000 Burundian refugees, almost half of the total supposedly living in exile abroad, returned to their country of origin between 2017 and 2023.
According to a report published online Friday by the local office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the refugees returned home "after having made a free and informed decision".
These Burundians, who left the country during the 2015 electoral crisis, returned from Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and other countries in the region.
The returns are taking place under tripartite agreements between the government of Burundi, the governments of the countries of asylum and the UNHCR, the report stated.
The same source indicates that once returnees have arrived in their province of return, the UNHCR and its partners carry out monitoring to assess the reintegration process of voluntary returnees.
The monitoring data reveals a low capacity to access basic social services, leading some refugees to hesitate to return home.
Despite the efforts made by the government of Burundi, with the support of humanitarian and development organizations, access to housing, land and employment remains a major challenge.
The UNHCR reports that over 70% of returnees are "dissatisfied" with their food security.
However, the UN agency notes improvements in the areas of security and justice, such as the resolution of land disputes, compared with previous years.
In terms of civil status, the UNHCR reports that at least 74% of adults in households have national identity cards, and 75% of children received birth certificates in 2023, compared to 69% in 2022.
In terms of education, 57% of repatriated children were enrolled in school in 2023, compared with 52% in 2022.
The UNHCR explains this drop by the fact that the majority of children arrived in the second half of the year and found it difficult to enroll and adapt to the Burundian education system.
As for healthcare, the UNHCR report highlights that 68% of returnee households do not have a health insurance card, compared to 70% in 2022.
On the other hand, 82% of returnee children arriving in 2023 have been vaccinated against measles in countries of asylum.
The main challenge is access to quality health services in the areas of return.
In terms of hygiene and sanitation, 85% of returnee households stated that they had access to drinking water in 2023, with over 90% of them finding water less than two kilometres away.
In terms of housing, 28% of returnees live in their own homes, compared with 41% who live in rented houses.
With regard to food, the UNHCR report mentions that 64% of returnee households eat only once a day, and 76% report never having received any food aid after the one they received on arrival at the transit centre.
As for economic reintegration, 38% of repatriated households used their cash allowance to acquire arable land, but only 13% were able to farm during the last cropping season in 2023.
The challenges noted by the UNHCR are mainly the lack of seeds and farming tools. As a result, 88% of returnee households reported living on less than US$1 a day on average.
In addition, many returnees living in neighbouring areas cross the border to take up temporary jobs.
Burundi, for its part, currently has 85,200 refugees, mainly from DR Congo, in camps and urban areas, 2,300 asylum seekers, 8,200 internally displaced persons and 800 people at risk of statelessness.
In conclusion, the UN humanitarian agency says it is facing an "unprecedented" funding shortfall, while the number of people in need of assistance and protection continues to grow.
As at 30 September 2023, there were almost 330,500 people in need of vital aid, while funding levels were only 35%.
-0- PANA FB/JSG/SOC/BBA/RA 12Jan2024
