DRC, Rwanda, UNHCR sign roadmap for voluntary refugee returns

The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have finalized new measures to ensure the voluntary and secure return of refugees across their shared border. The agreement, signed in Addis Ababa on Monday, June 22, follows a high-level meeting to implement commitments from the Washington peace accords. Both nations and the UNHCR acknowledged progress in refugee returns, with the DRC hosting nearly 200,000 Rwandan refugees and Rwanda hosting over 84,000 Congolese refugees.

The parties reaffirmed their commitment to a voluntary, pressure-free return process and to support the reintegration of refugee families. Significant progress has been made on the Rwandan side, with over 8,000 Rwandan refugees returning from the DRC since the start of 2025, including more than 2,300 in the last six months. The goal is to reach 10,000 returns by the end of the year.

An agreement was also reached regarding the use of the Kamanyola-Bugarama border post to facilitate the return of over 3,600 Rwandan refugees currently in South Kivu. Kinshasa has pledged to improve the necessary transit routes for their movement. The process for Congolese refugees in Rwanda has not yet commenced. Congolese authorities plan to identify return zones starting in October, contingent on the evolving security situation in the eastern part of the country.