DRC, UNHCR, and Burundi Prepare Tripartite Meeting on Refugee Returns as Authorities

Kalemie/Kinshasa April 3-4, 2026 - A tripartite meeting between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Burundi is scheduled for April 4 in Kalemie to coordinate the voluntary return of Congolese refugees and establish a framework for repatriation in the coming months. The discussions come as authorities in South Kivu report what they describe as an improving socio-political and security situation in several areas, including the city of Uvira, following the withdrawal of AFC/M23 forces and the gradual restoration of state authority. Officials indicate that stabilization efforts are ongoing in areas previously affected by intense fighting, with government presence being progressively re-established in territories that had fallen under rebel control during recent escalations. The South Kivu provincial leadership estimates that more than 1.2 million people remain internally displaced, while around 800,000 Congolese refugees are still hosted in neighboring countries, particularly in Burundi and Tanzania. These populations were displaced amid years of conflict marked by grave human rights violations, including killings, kidnappings, torture, and sexual violence across several localities in the east. Preparatory measures for returns are already underway, including demining operations aimed at clearing explosives left behind in conflict-affected zones to allow for safe resettlement of civilians. The upcoming Kalemie meeting is expected to define practical modalities, timelines, and coordination mechanisms for the phased return of refugees, in collaboration with host countries and international partners. Authorities say the return process has already begun in limited cases, but stress that large-scale repatriation will depend on sustained security guarantees and continued stabilization in eastern Congo, where pockets of insecurity persist despite recent withdrawals of armed groups from certain areas.