A fresh batch of 760 Burundian refugees return home in a repatriation drive overseen by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency confirmed Thursday in Kigali.
Citing the elections that were held recently in their home country and the desire to return home, some of the returnees from Mahama camp in far South Eastern Rwanda felt it was time for them to sign up to return.
For most Burundian refugees who fled to Rwanda in 2015, according to the UN agency their expectation was to return home as soon as the situation allowed.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been supporting the Government of Rwanda to protect and assist Burundian refugees since their arrival in the country.
In Rwanda, the majority of Burundian refugees live in Mahama camp in eastern Rwanda – the largest refugee camp in the country, hosting over 70,000 Burundians.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, in Rwanda has so far registered 10,000 refugees from the Burundi for repatriation.
Burundian officials were delighted at the prospect of receiving thousands of refugees from Rwanda, even as the number of applicants is expected to increase.
For its part, the Rwandan government affirms its readiness to facilitate the safe and dignified return of refugees who choose to return home and to protect those still on its territory.
The Government of Rwanda said it was committed to the principle of voluntary repatriation as a durable solution for refugees, in accordance with international and domestic laws.
CU/abj/APA