NAIROBI – A group of refugees from Burundi on Wednesday departed from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya to return home through UNHCR’s voluntary repatriation programme.
The announcement was made by UNHCR Representative to Kenya Caroline van Buren, who said voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity remains one of the UN agency’s top priorities.
UNHCR says approximately 325,000 Burundians remain in exile, many of whom are willing to return home.
“In 2023 alone, 15,633 Burundians have returned home between January and mid-September. UNHCR had planned to support an additional 23,000 Burundians returnees between September and December 2023 but lacks the financial resources to do so,” the UN refugees agency says.
Following his election in June 2020, President Evariste Ndayishimiye said he would prioritize the return of Burundian refugees, who were forced out of the country by historical conflicts as well as the 2015 political crisis.
Between November 2023 and June 2024, UNHCR needs $741,000 for “protection and assistance”, meaning restoration of the most basic of rights to the people affected.
Since then, Burundian refugees have been returning home and as of August 31, 2023, a total of 220,834 refugees had been assisted to return since 2017.
“From September 2017 through August 2023, UNHCR has assisted 3,149 Burundian refugees to return from Kenya. From January to August 2023, 68 refugees were supported to return to Burundi. At least 552 Burundian refugees wish to return from Kenya before the end of 2023. The support needed for the returnees includes cash assistance, transportation, and logistical support, as well as accommodation at the transit centre,” the agency said in its note seeking support for the voluntary funding.
Between November 2023 and June 2024, UNHCR needs $741,000 for “protection and assistance”, meaning restoration of the most basic of rights to the people affected.
The support needed for the returnees includes cash assistance, transportation, and logistical support, as well as accommodation at the transit centre.
This includes transportation (flight), with costs ranging from $200 to $300 per person from Nairobi or from Kakuma using a 50-seat chartered airplane at a cost of $29,920 per flight; Covid-19 testing; distribution of cash used for food during transit, pre-departure purchases (luggage, clothes, shoes) and settling of debts; and documentation.
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