First convoy of Congolese refugees returns from Burundi amid fragile stability in eastern DRC

The voluntary return of Congolese refugees from Burundi has begun, marking a cautious but significant shift in one of Africa’s most protracted humanitarian crises, as the first organized convoy of around 470 refugees departed Busuma camp in eastern Burundi on April 23, crossing into the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the Kavimvira border post near Uvira in South Kivu province.

The operation was coordinated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in partnership with the governments of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of a broader voluntary repatriation effort, with nearly 20,000 refugees having registered to return out of an estimated 109,000 Congolese currently sheltering in Burundi.

The returns have been enabled by changes in the security landscape around Uvira, a strategic port city on Lake Tanganyika, which fell to the M23 rebel group in late 2025, triggering the displacement of around 200,000 residents.

Under increasing international pressure, M23 forces withdrew in January 2026, allowing the Congolese army to re-establish control, and while Uvira is now relatively stable, armed groups remain active in surrounding areas including the Hauts Plateaux and the Ruzizi Plain, with analysts describing the situation as a “precarious peace” and warning of a continued risk of renewed violence.

The improved conditions enabling returns are closely tied to ongoing diplomatic efforts, notably the so-called Washington Accords, a U.S.-backed initiative involving regional stakeholders aimed at de-escalating tensions in eastern DRC while safeguarding strategic mineral supply chains.

Officials said U.S. President Donald Trump has played a direct role in advancing the process, noting that the Democratic Republic of the Congo holds vast reserves of cobalt, tantalum and copper, resources critical to global industries such as electric vehicles and aerospace manufacturing.

Recent warnings from the U.S. Treasury have underscored these stakes, signaling potential consequences for any state or armed group—including elements linked to the Rwanda Defence Force—that disrupts stability in key mining regions.

Despite ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC, deteriorating conditions in refugee camps in Burundi have become a major driver of return, with Busuma camp, established in December 2025, severely overcrowded at around 75,000 people, far exceeding its intended capacity.

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have reported allegations of abuse within the camps, including violence, extortion and intimidation by local militia groups such as the Imbonerakure.

At the same time, humanitarian agencies warn that essential supplies are critically low, with access to food, clean water and shelter materials sharply declining, while funding for the broader DRC crisis remains below 20 percent of required levels.

Returnees arriving in Uvira are receiving basic assistance packages including financial support and essential household items, but the scale of need remains immense, with more than 6 million people still internally displaced within the country and infrastructure in many return areas severely damaged or destroyed.

Humanitarian experts caution that without sustained security improvements and increased international funding, the repatriation process could stall or even reverse, with the continued presence of armed groups near key population centers and mining corridors remaining a critical concern.

The departure of the first convoy represents a rare moment of cautious optimism in a region long defined by instability, but the broader outlook remains uncertain, as the success of the process will depend on maintaining security gains in Uvira and addressing underlying drivers of displacement including armed conflict, governance challenges and competition over natural resources.

For now, the return of hundreds of refugees signals the possibility of progress but also underscores the fragility of peace in eastern Congo.

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