Ndayishimiye Appeals to DRC for Support as Congolese Refugees Remain Blocked in Burundi

January 18, 2026 - Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye has renewed his appeal to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for assistance in caring for Congolese refugees, saying Burundi lacks the capacity to support them after refusing to allow their return. The fighting between the AFC/M23 Alliance and the coalition of DRC government forces (FARDC), Wazalendo groups, Burundian troops, and the FDLR in South Kivu Province has forced thousands to flee into Burundi. After parts of Uvira became safer, some refugees attempted to return home, but Burundi closed its borders and refused their return. Many refugees continue to endure harsh living conditions, with reports of deaths from disease linked to unsanitary camp conditions. President Ndayishimiye said the DRC government should take responsibility for its citizens and provide assistance, stressing that they did not flee their government but rather armed attacks. “I ask the DRC government to see how it can help them, because I do not consider them refugees but people who have moved from one place to another after fleeing the enemy, not their government,” he said. He added, “This means the Congolese government has a responsibility to follow them and care for their health and well-being, because they are not enemies of the government.” Ndayishimiye also called on the DRC to mobilize international organizations for humanitarian assistance, noting that Burundi does not have the necessary capacity to support the refugees alone. “In Burundi, we are trying to mobilize the population to help these people, but in reality it is difficult. Burundi lacks the capacity, and we must work together,” he said. In early December 2025, more than 100,000 refugees crossed into Burundi after fleeing clashes in parts of the Ruzizi Valley, joining others who had already been displaced. Many of the newly arrived refugees, initially placed in temporary camps near the border, have repeatedly appealed to the Burundian government to allow them to return home, citing severe hardship and rising deaths. Instead, authorities have begun relocating refugees to camps further inland, including Busuma in the former Ruyigi Province, where conditions remain extremely difficult, prompting protests demanding permission to return.